Shloka 18

The Thirteen Inner Adversaries (Trayodaśa Doṣāḥ): Origins and Pacification

Devanagari script

तदहं बुद्धिमास्थाय भयं मोक्ष्ये समीरणात्‌ | यदि तां बुद्धिमास्थाय तिष्ठेयु: पर्णिनो वने

Transliteration

tadahaṁ buddhim āsthāya bhayaṁ mokṣye samīraṇāt | yadi tāṁ buddhim āsthāya tiṣṭheyuḥ parṇino vane ||

Translation

毗湿摩说道：“因此，我将依凭明辨之智，使自己摆脱对风的恐惧。若林中叶茂之树能凭同样的领悟而屹立不倒，我亦能如此。”

Word by Word

• तत्: that (thing)
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: common, nominative, singular

• बुद्धिम्: understanding, resolve
• बुद्धिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुद्धि
• Form: feminine, accusative, singular

• आस्थाय: having resorted to, having adopted
• आस्थाय: Karana
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-स्था (स्था)
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), parasmaipada (usage), non-finite

• भयम्: fear
• भयम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भय
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• मोक्ष्ये: I shall release / get free (from)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुच्
• Form: लृट् (simple future), ātmanepada, 1st, singular

• समीरणात्: from the wind
• समीरणात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: समीरण
• Form: neuter, ablative, singular

• यदि: if
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि

• ताम्: that (same) (f.)
• ताम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: feminine, accusative, singular

• बुद्धिम्: understanding, resolve
• बुद्धिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुद्धि
• Form: feminine, accusative, singular

• आस्थाय: having resorted to, having adopted
• आस्थाय: Karana
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-स्था (स्था)
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), parasmaipada (usage), non-finite

• तिष्ठेयुः: they should stand / remain
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), parasmaipada, 3rd, plural

• पर्णिनः: leafy (ones), having leaves
• पर्णिनः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर्णिन्
• Form: masculine, nominative, plural

• वने: in the forest
• वने: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन
• Form: neuter, locative, singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• samīraṇa (wind)
• vana (forest)
• parṇinaḥ (leaf-bearing trees)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Fear is overcome by buddhi—steady discernment. By anchoring the mind in clear understanding, one becomes unmoved by external disturbances, just as trees endure the wind.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma uses a natural image—leafy trees standing in a forest despite the wind—to illustrate how he (and by extension a disciplined person) can remain steady and free from fear by relying on firm understanding.