Shloka 15

Ācāra-vidhi (Rules of Conduct) — Yudhiṣṭhira’s Inquiry and Bhīṣma’s Normative Catalogue

Devanagari script

प्रस्थिता हृदयात्‌ सर्वे तिर्यगूर्ध्वमधस्तथा । वहन्त्यन्नरसात्‌ नाड्यो दश प्राणप्रचोदिता:

Transliteration

prasthitā hṛdayāt sarve tiryagūrdhvamadhastathā | vahanty annarasāt nāḍyo daśa prāṇapracoditāḥ ||

Translation

จากดวงหทัย ปราณทั้งปวงย่อมเคลื่อนไปโดยรอบ ทั้งด้านข้าง เบื้องบน และเบื้องล่าง ครั้นถูกขับเคลื่อนด้วยปราณสิบประการ นาฑีทั้งหลายย่อมลำเลียงสาระอาหารไปทั่วสรรพางค์กาย

Word by Word

• प्रस्थिताः: having set forth, moving out
• प्रस्थिताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र-स्था (धातु) → प्रस्थित (कृदन्त)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• हृदयात्: from the heart
• हृदयात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृदय
• Form: Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• तिर्यक्: sideways, transversely
• तिर्यक्: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तिर्यक्

• ऊर्ध्वम्: upwards
• ऊर्ध्वम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ऊर्ध्व

• अधः: downwards
• अधः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अधस्/अधः

• तथा: likewise, also
• तथा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• वहन्ति: they carry, convey
• Type: Verb
• Root: वह्
• Form: Present, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• अन्न-रसात्: from the essence/juice of food
• अन्न-रसात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्न-रस
• Form: Masculine, Ablative, Singular

• नाड्यः: the channels (nāḍīs)
• नाड्यः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाडी
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• दश: ten
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दशन् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) / दश
• Form: —, —, —

• प्राण-प्रचोदिताः: impelled by the prāṇas
• प्राण-प्रचोदिताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राण-प्रचोदित (कृदन्त)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

भरद्वाज उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bharadvāja
• hṛdaya (heart)
• nāḍīs
• daśa prāṇāḥ (ten vital airs)
• anna-rasa (nutritive essence of food)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Life is sustained through an organized inner system: from the heart, channels (nāḍīs) distribute nourishment, and this circulation is powered by the vital airs (prāṇas). The verse points to harmony of bodily functions as a basis for steadiness in dharma and disciplined living.

What is happening in the narrative?

In a didactic discussion on the body and vital functions, Bharadvāja explains how the nāḍīs emanating from the heart move in all directions and, propelled by the ten prāṇas, carry the nutritive essence of food throughout the organism.