Shloka 17

Teaching of Karma-yoga

Student Conduct, Vedic Study, and Gāyatrī Supremacy

Devanagari script

अभ्यंजनांजनोन्मर्द्दच्छत्रधारणमेव च । कामं लोभं भयं निद्रां गीतवादित्रनर्तनम्

Transliteration

abhyaṃjanāṃjanonmarddacchatradhāraṇameva ca | kāmaṃ lobhaṃ bhayaṃ nidrāṃ gītavāditranartanam

Translation

อีกทั้งการนวดด้วยน้ำมัน การแต่งด้วยอัญชันและเครื่องประทิน การถูร่างกาย และการถือฉัตร; รวมทั้งกาม โลภะ ความกลัว การหลับใหล การขับร้อง การบรรเลงดนตรี และการร่ายรำ

Word by Word

• अभ्यञ्जन: anointing (with oil)
• अभ्यञ्जन: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभ्यञ्जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (oil-application)

• अञ्जन: collyrium/eye-ointment
• अञ्जन: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अञ्जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उन्मर्द: rubbing/massage
• उन्मर्द: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उन्मर्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (rubbing/massage)

• छत्रधारणम्: holding an umbrella
• छत्रधारणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: छत्र + धारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समास: छत्रस्य धारणम् (holding an umbrella)

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Sambandha/Emphasis (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle) अवधारणार्थक (emphatic/only)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• कामम्: desire/lust
• कामम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• लोभम्: greed
• लोभम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• भयम्: fear
• भयम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• निद्राम्: sleep
• निद्राम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निद्रा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• गीतवादित्रनर्तनम्: singing, instrumental music, and dancing
• गीतवादित्रनर्तनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गीत + वादित्र + नर्तन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समाहार-द्वन्द्व: गीतं च वादित्रं च नर्तनं च (singing, instrumental music, and dancing)

Speaker

Unspecified (context needed from surrounding verses of Svargakhaṇḍa 53)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: Resolved internal sandhi in IAST cluster: onmarddacchatradhāraṇam → उन्मर्द + छत्रधारणम् (dd + ch). First pāda treated as a list: अभ्यञ्जन, अञ्जन, उन्मर्द, छत्रधारणम्.

FAQs

Is this verse listing actions to avoid, or merely describing worldly enjoyments?

By itself it reads as a catalog of bodily adornments and pleasure-activities; whether it is prescriptive (to avoid) depends on the immediate context of Adhyaya 53 (e.g., vows, vrata-rules, or ascetic discipline) in the surrounding verses.

What do “abhyañjana” and “añjana” mean here?

abhyañjana refers to oil anointing or massage; añjana commonly means collyrium (kohl) or cosmetic application to the eyes/face—both indicating personal grooming/adornment.

What ethical or spiritual lesson is typically conveyed by such lists in Purāṇic literature?

Such enumerations often highlight attachments and distractions—pleasures, fears, lethargy, and entertainments—that can weaken self-control and focus, especially when a vow, ritual purity, or spiritual discipline is being emphasized.