Shloka 67

कर्मयोग–ज्ञानयज्ञ–अवतारोपदेश

Karma-Yoga, Jñāna-Yajña, and Avatāra Instruction

Devanagari script

इन्द्रियाणां हि चरतां यन्मनो5नु विधीयते । तदस्य हरति प्रज्ञां वायुर्नावमिवाम्भसि

Transliteration

indriyāṇāṃ hi caratāṃ yan mano 'nu vidhīyate | tad asya harati prajñāṃ vāyur nāvam ivāmbhasi ||

Translation

正如风在水上掀卷小舟使其偏离航道，同样地：当心随逐于诸根在诸境中游走时，心所依附的那一根，便夺去未调御者的辨识之智。

Word by Word

• इन्द्रियाणाम्: of the senses
• इन्द्रियाणाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्रिय
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• हि: indeed/for
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

• चरताम्: of (them) moving/roaming
• चरताम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर्
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• यत्: which/that (sense)
• यत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• मनः: the mind
• मनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• अनु: after/along/according to
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अनु

• विधीयते: is directed/applied (to)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धा (वि + धा)
• Form: Present, Passive, 3rd, Singular

• तत्: that (sense)
• तत्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• अस्य: of him/of this (person)
• अस्य: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• हरति: carries away/steals
• Type: Verb
• Root: हृ
• Form: Present, Parasmaipada, 3rd, Singular

• प्रज्ञाम्: wisdom/discernment
• प्रज्ञाम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रज्ञा
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• वायुः: wind
• वायुः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वायु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• नावम्: a boat
• नावम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: नौ
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• इव: like/as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• अम्भसि: in water
• अम्भसि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अम्भस्
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

Speaker

अजुन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Arjuna
• mind (manas)
• senses (indriyas)
• wind (vāyu)
• boat (nāva)
• water (ambhas)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

If the mind runs after the senses, even one uncontrolled sense can destabilize discernment; therefore ethical clarity depends on restraining the senses and keeping the mind steady.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Bhīṣma Parva, amid the lead-up to battle and the dialogue on right conduct, Arjuna voices a reflection on inner discipline: he compares the mind’s attachment to sense-objects to a boat driven off course by wind, highlighting the danger of distraction and loss of judgment.