Mahabharata — Shanti Parva, Shloka 14

कर्म–ज्ञान–दैव–स्वभावविचारः

Inquiry into Karma, Knowledge, Fate, and Nature

Devanagari script

बहुश्रुतश्चित्रकथ: पण्डितोडलालसो5शठ: । अदीनोडक्रोधनो<लुब्धस्तस्मात्‌ सर्वत्र पूजित:

Transliteration

bahuśrutaś citrakathaḥ paṇḍito ’lālaso ’śaṭhaḥ | adīno ’krodhano ’lubdhas tasmāt sarvatra pūjitaḥ ||

Translation

Vāyu said: He is widely learned and tells stories in a striking and captivating manner. Though fully accomplished in scholarship, he is free from craving and deceit. Unbowed by misery, untouched by anger, and untainted by greed, he is therefore honored everywhere.

Word by Word

• {'bahuśrutaḥ': 'well-heard

• widely learned, versed in many teachings', 'citrakathaḥ': 'one whose narration is varied/remarkable

• an engaging storyteller', 'paṇḍitaḥ': 'a learned, discerning person

• scholar', 'alālasaḥ': 'free from longing or covetous desire', 'aśaṭhaḥ': 'not deceitful

• straightforward, guileless', 'adīnaḥ': 'not dejected

• not crushed by adversity', 'akrodhanaḥ': 'free from anger

• not prone to wrath', 'alubdhaḥ': 'free from greed

• not avaricious', 'tasmāt': 'therefore

• for that reason', 'sarvatra': 'everywhere

• in all places/contexts', 'pūjitaḥ': 'honored, revered, respected'}

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vāyu (Vāyudeva)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

True honor follows a blend of learning and character: scholarship joined with self-restraint—freedom from craving, deceit, dejection, anger, and greed—makes a person worthy of respect everywhere.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyu describes the traits of an exemplary learned person, praising not only his knowledge and distinctive manner of discourse but, more importantly, his moral purity and emotional discipline, which explain why he is universally revered.