Shloka 17

Utkramaṇa-sthāna and Ariṣṭa-lakṣaṇa: Yājñavalkya’s Instruction on Departure Pathways and Mortality Signs

Devanagari script

निर्णयं चापि छिद्रात्मा न तं॑ वक्ष्यति तत्त्वतः । सोपहासात्मतामेति यस्माच्चैवात्मवानपि,जिसका चित्त शास्त्रज्ञानसे शून्य है, वह ग्रन्थके तात्पर्यका ठीक-ठीक निर्णय कर ही नहीं सकता। यदि वह कुछ कहता है तो मनस्वी होनेपर भी लोगोंके उपहासका पात्र बनता है

Transliteration

nirṇayaṃ cāpi chidra-ātmā na taṃ vakṣyati tattvataḥ | sopahāsa-ātmatām eti yasmāc caivātmavān api ||

Translation

Vasiṣṭha sprach: „Wer ein fehlerhaftes Verständnis hat, vermag den wahren Sinn nicht mit Gewissheit darzulegen. Selbst wenn er sonst beherzt oder selbstbeherrscht ist, wird er, sobald er ohne die Grundlage śāstrischer Kenntnis redet, zum Gegenstand des Spottes—denn seine Worte verfehlen das eigentliche Prinzip.“

Word by Word

निर्णयम्decision; correct ascertainment

चand

अपिalso; even

छिद्रात्माone of flawed nature; a defective-minded person

नnot

तम्that (it/him)

वक्ष्यतिwill say; will state

तत्त्वतःin truth; correctly; as it really is

सःhe

उपहासात्मताम्the state of being an object of ridicule

एतिgoes to; comes to; becomes

यस्मात्from which; because of which

चand

एवindeed; just

आत्मवान्self-possessed; intelligent; strong-minded

अपिeven; though

Speaker

वसिष्ठ उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vasiṣṭha

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?

Without śāstric grounding and clear discernment, one cannot determine or express the true purport (nirṇaya) of a text; speaking anyway leads to error and public ridicule, even if the speaker is otherwise confident.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva’s instructional setting, Vasiṣṭha is advising about proper understanding and interpretation: he cautions that a person with defective insight cannot explain the truth of a doctrine and will be mocked if he speaks beyond his knowledge.