Shloka 4

व्याधि-गुण-साम्योपदेशः | Discourse on Affliction, Guṇa-Equilibrium, and the Inner Battle

Devanagari script

उष्णेन बाध्यते शीतं शीतेनोष्णं च बाध्यते । सत्त्वं रजस्तमश्नेति त्रय आत्मगुणा: स्मृता:,उष्ण शीतका निवारण करता और शीत उष्णका निवारण करता है। सत्त्व, रज और तम--ये तीन अन्तःकरणके गुण माने गये हैं

Transliteration

uṣṇena bādhyate śītaṃ śītenoṣṇaṃ ca bādhyate | sattvaṃ rajastamaś ceti traya ātmaguṇāḥ smṛtāḥ ||

Translation

风神说道：“热为寒所制，寒亦为热所制。同样，内在之我以三种根本德性而被认识——萨埵（sattva）、罗阇（rajas）、惰摩（tamas）。”

Word by Word

• उष्णेन: by heat
• उष्णेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: उष्ण
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• बाध्यते: is obstructed/checked
• Type: Verb
• Root: बाध्
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Atmanepada, Passive

• शीतम्: cold
• शीतम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शीत
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• शीतेन: by cold
• शीतेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शीत
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• उष्णम्: heat
• उष्णम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: उष्ण
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

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

• बाध्यते: is obstructed/checked
• Type: Verb
• Root: बाध्
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Atmanepada, Passive

• सत्त्वम्: sattva (purity/clarity)
• सत्त्वम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्त्व
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• रजः: rajas (activity/passion)
• रजः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: रजस्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• तमः: tamas (inertia/darkness)
• तमः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: तमस्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• अश्नेति: eats/consumes
• Type: Verb
• Root: अश्
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• त्रयः: three
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• आत्मगुणाः: qualities of the self (inner qualities)
• आत्मगुणाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मगुण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• स्मृताः: are considered/are remembered as
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ
• Form: क्त, Masculine, Nominative, Plural, Passive (past participle)

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vāyu-deva

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Opposites counteract each other (heat vs. cold), and likewise human inner life is shaped by three guṇas—sattva (clarity), rajas (restless activity), and tamas (inertia). Ethical cultivation involves recognizing these forces and strengthening sattva to restrain rajas and tamas.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Ashvamedhika Parva, Vāyu-deva speaks in a didactic mode, using a simple physical analogy to introduce a psychological and ethical framework: the three guṇas that govern the mind and conduct.