Shloka 19

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

Adhyātma-Upadeśa

Devanagari script

यथाध्वानमपाथेय: प्रपन्नो मनुज: क्वचित्‌ । क्लेशेन याति महता विनश्येदन्तरापि च

Transliteration

yathādhvānam apātheyaḥ prapanno manuṣaḥ kvacit | kleśena yāti mahatā vinaśyed antarāpi ca ||

Translation

Vāyu nói: Như người lên đường mà không chuẩn bị lương thực cho dặm dài, chỉ có thể đi trong khổ nhọc lớn lao, thậm chí có thể chết giữa đường; cũng vậy, kẻ bước vào hành trình đời sống mà thiếu tư lương nội tâm—chánh hạnh, tự chế và sự chuẩn bị—ắt phơi mình trước khổ đau và diệt vong.

Word by Word

• यथा: just as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

• अध्वानम्: journey/road
• अध्वानम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अध्वन्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अपाथेयः: without provisions (travel-supplies)
• अपाथेयः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अपाथेय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रपन्नः: having set out / having resorted to
• प्रपन्नः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रपन्न
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• मनुजः: a man
• मनुजः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनुज
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• क्वचित्: sometimes / somewhere
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्वचित्

• क्लेशेन: with hardship
• क्लेशेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्लेश
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• याति: goes / proceeds
• Type: Verb
• Root: या
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• महता: great (by/with)
• महता: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत्
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• विनश्येत्: might perish
• Type: Verb
• Root: नश्
• Form: Optative, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• अन्तरा: in between / midway
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्तरा

• अपि: even / also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vāyudeva (the Wind-god)
• manuṣa (a human traveler)
• adhvan (journey/road)
• pātheya (provisions for travel)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches that undertaking any major course—especially the moral and spiritual journey of life—requires proper ‘provisions’: foresight, discipline, and dharmic conduct. Without these supports, one is forced into severe hardship and may fail before reaching the goal.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyudeva speaks in a didactic tone, using a concrete travel metaphor: a traveler without supplies suffers greatly and may die on the way. The image is used to warn the listener about the dangers of proceeding without adequate preparation and inner resources.