Shanti Parva Adhyaya 187 Shloka 9 - Mahabharata | Chinese | Vedapath

Vyasa

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Shloka 9

Adhyātma-nirdeśa

Definition of Adhyātma): Mahābhūtas, Indriyas, Guṇas, and the Witness (Kṣetrajña

Devanagari script

व्याधिव्रणपरिक्लेशैमेंदिनी चैव शीर्यते । पीडिते<न्यतरे होषां संघातो याति पठचधा

Transliteration

vyādhi-vraṇa-parikleśair medinī caiva śīryate | pīḍite 'nyatare hoṣāṃ saṃghāto yāti pañcatāṃ ||

Translation

婆罗陀婆阇说道：“因疾病、创伤与诸般苦恼，身中之地大磨损而崩散。五大之中但凡一大受损，整个身之聚合便倾覆，归于‘五归’（pañcatva）——复归五大之溶散。”

Word by Word

व्याधिby disease

व्रणby wounds/ulcers

परिक्लेशैःby afflictions/torments

मेदिनीthe earth-element (in the body)

चand

एवindeed/just

शीर्यतेdecays/disintegrates

पीडितेwhen (it is) afflicted / in the afflicted (state)

अन्यतरेin any one (of the two/among them); in one (element)

एषाम्of these

संघातःthe aggregate/combination

यातिgoes/comes to

पञ्चत्वम्the state of being five (i.e., dissolution into the five elements); death

Speaker

भरद्वाज उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bharadvāja

pañca-mahābhūta (five elements)

medinī/pṛthivī-tattva (earth element)

vyādhi (disease)

vraṇa (wound)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The body is a fragile composite of the five elements; when even one element is seriously impaired by disease, wounds, or affliction, the whole organism breaks down, reminding one to cultivate detachment and right understanding of mortality.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bharadvāja is explaining, in an analytical and reflective mode typical of Śānti Parva, how physical suffering disrupts the elemental balance of the body and leads inevitably to death—‘returning to the five’ (pañcatva).