Shloka 4

Adhyāya 272: Vṛtrasya Dharmiṣṭhatā, Indrasya Mohaḥ, Vasiṣṭha-upadeśaḥ

Vṛtra’s dharmic stature; Indra’s disorientation; Vasiṣṭha’s counsel

Devanagari script

ततस्तदर्थ यतते कर्म चारभते महत्‌ | इष्टानां रूपगन्धानामभ्यासं च चिकीर्षति

Transliteration

tatas tadarthaṃ yatate karma cārabhate mahat | iṣṭānāṃ rūpagandhānām abhyāsaṃ ca cikīrṣati ||

Translation

毗湿摩说道：“于是，为了那所贪著之境，人便奋力追逐，兴起种种大业；他求其乐而反复受用，沉溺于所喜爱的形色与芬芳——由此对诸境的依赖愈加深重，驱使行为的渴爱之链也愈发坚固。”

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (तद्-प्रातिपदिकात् अव्यय)
• Form: avyaya

• तदर्थम्: for that purpose
• तदर्थम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: तदर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• यतते: strives, makes effort
• यतते: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: यत् (धातु)
• Form: present, 3rd person, singular, Ātmanepada

• कर्म: an action, work
• कर्म: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: avyaya

• आरभते: undertakes, begins
• आरभते: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: रभ्/रम्भ् (धातु) + आ- (उपसर्ग)
• Form: present, 3rd person, singular, Ātmanepada

• महत्: great, large
• महत्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• इष्टानाम्: of desired (things)
• इष्टानाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इष्ट (प्रातिपदिक; √इष्/इच्छ्-भावार्थे, 'desired')
• Form: neuter, genitive, plural

• रूपगन्धानाम्: of forms and smells
• रूपगन्धानाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूपगन्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: neuter, genitive, plural

• अभ्यासम्: repeated practice/indulgence
• अभ्यासम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभ्यास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: avyaya

• चिकीर्षति: wishes to do, intends
• चिकीर्षति: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) (desiderative: चिकीर्ष-)
• Form: present, 3rd person, singular, Parasmaipada (desiderative)

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Attachment to sense-pleasures leads to striving and ever-larger actions aimed at securing the desired object; repeated indulgence (abhyāsa) strengthens craving and makes the mind more bound to sense-objects, undermining self-mastery and ethical steadiness.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Bhishma’s instruction in the Shanti Parva, he describes the psychological sequence of desire: once attraction arises, a person exerts effort, undertakes major enterprises, and seeks repeated enjoyment of pleasing sensory experiences such as forms and fragrances.