Shloka 24

Devanagari script

नाचक्षुवेत्ति पन्थानं नाचक्षुविन्दते दिश: । नाधृतिर्बुद्धिमाप्रोति बुध्यस्वैवं प्रबोधित:,“जिसके आँखें नहीं हैं, वह मार्ग नहीं जान पाता; अंधेको दिशाओंका ज्ञान नहीं होता और जो धैर्य खो देता है, उसे सदबुद्धि नहीं प्राप्त होती। इस प्रकार मेरे समझानेपर तुम मेरी बातको भलीभाँति समझ लोः

Transliteration

Vaiśampāyana uvāca: nācakṣuḥ vetti panthānaṃ nācakṣuḥ vindate diśaḥ | nādhṛtir buddhim āpnoti budhyasvaivaṃ prabodhitaḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: “One who lacks sight cannot discern the path; the blind do not find the directions. Likewise, one who has lost steadfastness does not attain sound judgment. Therefore, having been instructed in this way, understand my counsel clearly.”

Word by Word

• {'nācakṣuḥ': 'one without eyes

• blind (figuratively: lacking discernment)', 'vetti': 'knows, understands', 'panthānam': 'path, road

• course of action', 'vindate': 'finds, obtains', 'diśaḥ': 'directions, quarters

• bearings', 'adhṛtiḥ': 'steadfastness, firmness, composure (absence of it: loss of courage/resolve)', 'buddhim': 'intelligence, judgment, right understanding', 'āpnoti': 'attains, reaches', 'budhyasva': 'understand! awaken to! (imperative, 2nd person singular)', 'evaṃ': 'thus, in this manner', 'prabodhitaḥ': 'instructed, admonished, awakened (by counsel)'}

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches that discernment and right judgment require inner steadiness: just as physical blindness prevents finding a path or directions, loss of composure (adhṛti) prevents attaining sound understanding (buddhi).

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana delivers a didactic admonition, using the metaphor of blindness to press the listener to accept guidance and regain clarity and resolve in deciding the proper course.