Shloka 47

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

Adhyātma-Upadeśa

Devanagari script

हस्व॑ दीर्घ कृशं स्थूलं चतुरस््र तु वृत्तवत्‌ । एवं द्वादशविस्तारं तेजसो रूपमुच्यते

Transliteration

hrasvaṁ dīrghaṁ kṛśaṁ sthūlaṁ caturasraṁ tu vṛttavat | evaṁ dvādaśa-vistāraṁ tejaso rūpam ucyate ||

Translation

وایو نے کہا— تجس (روشن توانائی) کی صورت بارہ طرح کے پھیلاؤ کے ساتھ بیان کی گئی ہے: وہ کبھی چھوٹی یا لمبی، کبھی دبلی یا موٹی، کبھی چوکور اور کبھی گول دکھائی دیتی ہے۔ انہی گوناگوں پیمانوں اور شکلوں کے ذریعے ‘تجس’ کی حقیقت بیان کی جاتی ہے۔

Word by Word

• ह्रस्वम्: short
• ह्रस्वम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ह्रस्व
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• दीर्घम्: long
• दीर्घम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दीर्घ
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• कृशम्: thin, lean
• कृशम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृश
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• स्थूलम्: thick, stout
• स्थूलम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्थूल
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• चतुरस्रम्: four-sided, square
• चतुरस्रम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुरस्र
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• तु: but/and (emphatic)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• वृत्तवत्: round, circular
• वृत्तवत्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वृत्तवत्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• एवम्: thus, in this way
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम्

• द्वादशविस्तारम्: having twelve kinds of extent/dimensions
• द्वादशविस्तारम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वादशविस्तार
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• तेजसः: of light/energy (tejas)
• तेजसः: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: तेजस्
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• रूपम्: form, shape
• रूपम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूप
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• उच्यते: is said/declared
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Passive (Karmani)

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vāyu (Wind-god)
• tejas (radiant energy/fire principle)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches that ‘tejas’ (radiant/fire-like energy) is not confined to a single visible shape; it is understood through multiple modes of extension—contrasting dimensions (short/long, thin/thick) and geometries (square/round)—indicating a many-sided, descriptive approach to subtle principles.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyu is speaking in an explanatory, instructional passage, defining how the form of ‘tejas’ is characterized. The focus is not on action but on doctrinal description—classifying the appearances or dimensions by which tejas is recognized.