Shloka 14

अव्यक्तकालमान-निर्णयः

Measures of Time from the Unmanifest; Creation, Elements, and the Primacy of Mind

Devanagari script

वाचो वेगं मनस: क्रोधवेगं विधित्सावेगमुदरोपस्थवेगम्‌ | एतान्‌ वेगान्‌ यो विषहेदुदीर्णा- स्तं मन्येडहं ब्राह्म॒णं वै मुनिं च

Transliteration

vāco vegaṁ manasaḥ krodha-vegaṁ vidhitsā-vegam udaropastha-vegam | etān vegān yo viṣahed udīrṇās taṁ manye ’haṁ brāhmaṇaṁ vai muniṁ ca ||

Translation

Thiên nga (Haṃsa) nói: “Ai có thể chịu đựng và chế ngự những xung lực dâng trào của lời nói, của tâm trí và của cơn giận, cùng với những thôi thúc của tham vọng, của bụng và của dục năng—người ấy ta xem là một brāhmaṇa chân chính, quả là một bậc hiền triết. Sự làm chủ ấy là dấu ấn của kỷ luật đạo hạnh: tự chế để bảo hộ mình và người khỏi tổn hại, và giữ mình thuận theo dharma.”

Word by Word

• वाचः: of speech
• वाचः: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाच्
• Form: Feminine, Genitive, Singular

• वेगम्: impulse/force
• वेगम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेग
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• मनसः: of the mind
• मनसः: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस्
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• क्रोध-वेगम्: the impulse of anger
• क्रोध-वेगम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रोधवेग
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• विधित्सा-वेगम्: the impulse of (the urge) to act/do
• विधित्सा-वेगम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधित्सावेग
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• उदर-उपस्थ-वेगम्: the impulses of belly and genitals
• उदर-उपस्थ-वेगम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: उदरोपस्थवेग
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• एतान्: these
• एतान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• वेगान्: impulses/forces
• वेगान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेग
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• यः: who
• यः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• विषहेत्: would endure/withstand
• Type: Verb
• Root: सह्
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• उदीर्णान्: arisen/roused
• उदीर्णान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उद्-ईर्ण (उद्+ईर्)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• मन्ये: I consider
• Type: Verb
• Root: मन्
• Form: Present (Lat), 1st, Singular, Atmanepada

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Nominative, Singular

• ब्राह्मणम्: a brahmin
• ब्राह्मणम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• वै: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै

• मुनिम्: a sage
• मुनिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

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

Speaker

हंस उवाच

Characters & Entities

• हंस (Haṁsa)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

True spiritual nobility is measured by restraint: the ability to withstand powerful inner urges—especially speech, mental agitation, anger, ambition, hunger, and sexual impulse. Mastery over these protects dharma and qualifies one as a genuine brāhmaṇa and muni.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva’s instructional discourse, the Haṁsa speaks as a moral teacher, defining the qualities of a true sage. Rather than birth or status, he emphasizes inner discipline and control over impulses as the criterion for spiritual authority.