Shloka 21
Jñāna-plava (The Raft of Knowledge): Svabhāva, Prajñā, and the Ascent to Ātmajñāna
अमृतस्येव संतृप्येदवमानस्य तत्त्ववित् । विषस्येवोद्विजेन्नित्यं सम्मानस्य विचक्षण:
amṛtasyeva saṃtṛpyed avamānasya tattvavit | viṣasyevodvijennityaṃ sammānasya vicakṣaṇaḥ ||
One who knows the truth should feel satisfied when met with contempt, as if drinking nectar; but the discerning person should always shrink from honor, as from poison.
जैगीषव्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
A truth-knower cultivates equanimity: he welcomes insult as a medicine against ego, but treats honor as dangerous because it can intoxicate the mind, inflate pride, and create dependence on external validation.
In Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma and inner discipline, Jaigīṣavya states a maxim for the wise: be content even when dishonored, and remain cautious of being honored, since praise can become a subtle bondage.