Mahabharata — Ashvamedhika Parva, Shloka 30

Mind as Charioteer; Kṣetrajña, Tapas, and Dhyāna-Yoga

Adhyātma-Upadeśa

Devanagari script

नावं न शक्यमारुह्ु स्थले विपरिवर्तितुम्‌ । तथैव रथमारुहा नाप्सु चर्या विधीयते

Transliteration

nāvaṁ na śakyam āruḍhuṁ sthale viparivartitum | tathaiva ratham āruhyā nāpsu caryā vidhīyate |

Translation

Wika ni Vāyu: “Kung paanong hindi maaaring sumakay sa bangka at saka gumalaw sa tuyong lupa, at kung paanong hindi maaaring sumakay sa karwahe at saka paglakbayin sa tubig, gayon din: ang sari-saring gawa ng mga nilalang ay humahantong sa magkakaibang hantungan. Sa mundong ito, anuman ang uri ng kilos na ginawa ng tao, katumbas na bunga ang kanyang matatamo.”

Word by Word

• नावम्: a boat
• नावम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: नौ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• शक्यम्: possible
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शक्य (कृदन्त; √शक्)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• आरुहुम्: to mount / to board
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-रुह् (धातु)
• Form: Infinitive (Tumun)

• स्थले: on land
• स्थले: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• विपरिवर्तितुम्: to move about / to roam / to turn around
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-परि-वृत् (धातु)
• Form: Infinitive (Tumun)

• तथा: thus / in that way
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• एव: indeed / just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• रथम्: a chariot
• रथम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• आरुह्य: having mounted
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-रुह् (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive (Ktva/Lyap)

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• अप्सु: in waters
• अप्सु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अप् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Plural

• चर्या: movement / roaming
• चर्या: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: चर्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• विधीयते: is prescribed / is possible (is enjoined)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-धा (धातु)
• Form: Present, Passive, Third, Singular

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vāyu (Vāyudeva)
• boat (nāva)
• chariot (ratha)
• land (sthala)
• water (apsu)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Actions are intrinsically suited to particular outcomes: just as a boat is for water and a chariot is for land, deeds (karma) lead to their corresponding fruits (phala). One cannot expect an incompatible result from a given action.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyudeva delivers a didactic instruction using a practical analogy (boat vs. chariot) to explain karmic causality—why different kinds of conduct lead beings to different destinations and experiences.