Shloka 17
Mind as Charioteer; Kṣetrajña, Tapas, and Dhyāna-Yoga
Adhyātma-Upadeśa
सहस्नेणापि दुर्मेधा न बुद्धिमधिगच्छति । चतुर्थेनाप्यथांशेन बुद्धिमान् सुखमेधते
sahasreṇāpi durmedhā na buddhim adhigacchati | caturthenāpy athāṁśena buddhimān sukham edhate ||
قال فايُو: إنَّ ضعيفَ الفهم، ولو بذل ألفَ جهدٍ، لا ينال التمييزَ الحقّ؛ أمّا العاقلُ، فبربعِ ذلك الجهدِ يدركُ الفهمَ ويزدهرُ في العافية. وتُبيّن هذه الأبيات أنّ الاستعدادَ الباطنيَّ وصفاءَ الذهنِ أرجحُ من كثرةِ السعي وحدها.
वायुदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that wisdom is not produced merely by multiplying external efforts; without sound intellect and receptivity, even great exertion may fail. Conversely, a discerning person needs comparatively little effort to grasp truth and thereby attain well-being.
Vāyudeva is speaking as a moral instructor, offering a general maxim about discernment and effort. The statement functions as ethical counsel within the Ashvamedhika Parva’s reflective, didactic passages.