Shloka 23

Udyoga-parva Adhyāya 123 — Bhīṣma–Droṇa–Vidura Upadeśa to Duryodhana

Keśava-vākya aftermath

Devanagari script

यस्तु नि:श्रेयसं वाक्य मोहाजन्न प्रतिपद्यते । स दीर्घसूत्रो हीनार्थ: पश्चात्तापेन युज्यते,“जो मोहवश अपने हितकी बात नहीं मानता है, वह दीर्घसूत्री मनुष्य अपने स्वार्थसे भ्रष्ट होकर केवल पश्चात्तापका भागी होता है

Transliteration

yastu niḥśreyasaṃ vākyaṃ mohāj janna pratipadyate | sa dīrghasūtro hīnārthaḥ paścāttāpena yujyate ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana sprach: Wer aus Verblendung den Rat, der zum wahren Heil führt, nicht annimmt, wird ein Zauderer, fällt von seinem eigenen rechten Nutzen ab und ist am Ende nur noch mit Reue verbunden.

Word by Word

यःwho

तुbut/indeed

नि:श्रेयसम्highest good, welfare

वाक्यम्statement, advice, words

मोहात्from delusion; due to delusion

नnot

प्रतिपद्यतेaccepts, follows, assents to

सःhe

दीर्घसूत्रःprocrastinating; slow to act

हीनार्थःone whose purpose/interest is lost; deprived of benefit

पश्चात्तापेनwith/by remorse

युज्यतेis joined with; is afflicted by; falls to the lot of

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

One should recognize and act upon advice that leads to true welfare (niḥśreyasa). Delusion (moha) makes a person reject beneficial counsel, and delay (dīrghasūtratā) then results in missed advantage and eventual remorse (paścāttāpa).

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Udyoga Parva’s counsel-filled setting before the war, Vaiśampāyana states a general moral principle: ignoring well-intentioned, welfare-producing advice due to delusion leads to procrastination, loss of one’s proper interest, and regret—an implicit warning to those resisting prudent counsel.