Shloka 52

तृष्णाक्षय-उपदेशः

Instruction on the Cessation of Craving

Devanagari script

शास्त्र हाबुद्ध्वा तत्त्वेन केचिद्‌ वादबलाज्जना: । कामद्वेषाभि भूतत्वादहड्कारवशं गता:,शास्त्रको यथार्थरूपसे न जानकर कुछ लोग वितण्डावादके ही बलसे रागदद्वेषसे अभिभूत होनेके कारण अहंकारके अधीन हो गये हैं

Transliteration

śāstram abuddhvā tattvena kecid vāda-balāj janāḥ | kāma-dveṣābhibhūtatvād ahaṅkāra-vaśaṃ gatāḥ ||

Translation

Kapila said: Some people, without truly understanding the scriptures in their real essence, rely merely on the force of disputation. Overpowered by desire and hatred, they fall under the control of ego—turning learning into contention rather than a path to truth and self-mastery.

Word by Word

शास्त्रम्scripture/treatise

अवबुद्ध्वाhaving understood

तत्त्वेनin truth / by the reality

केचित्some (people)

वादबलात्from the force of disputation

जनाःpeople

कामद्वेषाभिभूतत्वात्because of being overcome by desire and hatred

अहङ्कारवशम्under the control of ego

गताःhave gone / have become

Speaker

कपिल उवाच

Characters & Entities

Kapila

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Scriptural learning is meant to reveal truth and cultivate inner discipline; when people do not grasp the essence and instead depend on mere argumentative force, desire and hatred take over and ego becomes the guiding power.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva’s instructional discourse, Kapila criticizes those who approach śāstra as a tool for winning debates. He explains that such disputation, driven by passion and aversion, leads to pride rather than liberation-oriented understanding.