Mahabharata — Sabha Parva, Shloka 6
अर्हणनिर्णयः
Decision on the Highest Honor at the Assembly
तत्र मेधाविन: केचिदर्थमन्यैरुदीरितम् । विचिक्षिपुर्यथा श्येना नभोगतमिवामिषम्
tatra medhāvinaḥ kecid artham anyair udīritam | vicikṣipur yathā śyenā nabhogatam ivāmiṣam ||
هناك كان بعضُ ذوي الذكاء الحادّ ينتزعون المعنى الذي يعبّر عنه غيرهم—يخطفونه في منتصف مساره—كما تتخاطف الصقور، وهي بعدُ في السماء، لقمةَ لحمٍ من بعضها بعضًا. ويصوّر البيت ثقافةَ جدلٍ تُستعمل فيها الفطنة أقلَّ لطلب الحقيقة وأكثرَ لالتماس العيب وإظهار المنافسة.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse cautions against using intelligence merely to defeat others in argument. True learning should clarify meaning and serve dharma; fault-finding competitiveness turns discourse into predation, like hawks fighting over meat.
Vaiśampāyana describes an atmosphere where some clever men intercept and appropriate others’ points in discussion, undermining speakers and turning deliberation into a contest of dominance rather than a search for truth.