Shloka 18

Adhyāya 39 — Yudhiṣṭhira’s inquiry on attachment (saṅga) and relational restraint

Devanagari script

(विद्याविदो लोकविद: तपोबलसमन्विता: । नित्यपूज्याश्र वन्द्याश्न द्विजा लोकद्वयेच्छुभि: ।।) जो इहलोक और परलोक दोनोंको सुधारना चाहते हों, उन्हें विद्वान, लौकिक बातोंके ज्ञाता, तपस्वी और शक्तिशाली ब्राह्मणोंकी सदा पूजा और वन्दना करनी चाहिये ।। इत्येतन्मे पिता श्रुत्वा सोमादद्‌भुतदर्शनात्‌ । ब्राह्मणान्‌ पूजयामास तथैवाहं महाव्रतान्‌,अदभुत दर्शनवाले चन्द्रमासे यह बात सुनकर मेरे पिताजीने महान्‌ व्रतधारी ब्राह्मणोंका पूजन किया। वैसे ही मैं भी करता हूँ

Transliteration

somah uvāca | vidyāvido lokavidaḥ tapobalasamanvitāḥ | nityapūjyāś ca vandyāś ca dvijā lokadvaye hitaiḥ || ity etan me pitā śrutvā somād adbhutadarśanāt | brāhmaṇān pūjayāmāsa tathaivāhaṃ mahāvratān ||

Translation

Soma sprach: „Wer das Heil sowohl dieser Welt als auch der jenseitigen sucht, soll stets Brahmanen ehren und sich vor ihnen verneigen: solche, die im heiligen Wissen bewandert sind, die weltliche Dinge verstehen und mit asketischer Kraft und Stärke ausgestattet sind.“ Als mein Vater diese Lehre von Soma—von wunderbarer Erscheinung—vernahm, verehrte er die Brahmanen von großen Gelübden; und ebenso tue auch ich.

Word by Word

विद्याविदःknowers of learning

लोकविदःknowers of worldly matters

तपोबलसमन्विताःendowed with ascetic power and strength

नित्यपूज्याःalways worthy of worship

वन्द्याःworthy of reverence

द्विजाःBrahmins (twice-born)

लोकद्वयin the two worlds (this and the next)

इच्छुभिःby those who desire

शुभिःgood (people)

Speaker

सोम उवाच

Characters & Entities

Soma (Candra)

Soma's father

Brāhmaṇas (dvijāḥ)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

One who seeks well-being in both this life and the next should continually honor and show reverence to Brahmins characterized by learning (vidyā), worldly discernment (loka-jñāna), and ascetic power (tapas/bala). The verse frames such respect as a dharmic practice with benefits spanning the 'two worlds.'

What is happening in the narrative?

Soma speaks a maxim about whom to honor for the sake of welfare in both worlds. He then adds a personal testimony: his father, after hearing this instruction from Soma (described as wondrous in appearance), worshipped great-vowed Brahmins, and Soma states that he follows the same practice.