Shloka 773

Āścarya-kathana: Brāhmaṇa–Nāga Dialogue on Sūrya (Vivasvat) and the ‘Second Sun’ Phenomenon

Devanagari script

रजसा तमसा चैव मानसं समभिप्लुतम्‌ | ऐसा पुरुष जब जन्म लेता है

Transliteration

rajasā tamasā caiva mānasaṃ samabhiplutam |

Translation

毗湿摩波耶那说：“心识完全为罗阇（rajas）与昏暗（tamas）所淹没。”就伦理而言，这描绘的是：其内在生命被激情、躁动与无明所驱使，以致辨别之智被遮蔽，行为更趋向外驰与冲动，而非清明与自持。

Word by Word

• रजसा: by/with rajas (the quality of activity)
• रजसा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रजस्
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• तमसा: by/with tamas (the quality of darkness/inertia)
• तमसा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: तमस्
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• एव: indeed/just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• मानसम्: mind
• मानसम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानस
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• समभिप्लुतम्: flooded/overwhelmed
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-अभि-प्लु (क्त)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

That when rajas (passionate agitation) and tamas (deluded inertia) dominate the mind, inner clarity is submerged; ethical life then requires recognizing these forces and cultivating sattva (lucidity) through discipline, right understanding, and self-restraint.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana is describing a psychological-ethical condition within the Śānti Parva’s instruction: the mind of a certain type of person is portrayed as overwhelmed by the lower guṇas, setting the stage for guidance about conduct and the paths of action and restraint.