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

风神伐由说道：“正如乘舟不能在陆地行走，乘车亦不能在水上行旅；同样，众生所作种种业行，各自导向不同归趣。在此世间，人作何等行为，便得与之相应之果报。”

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.