Shloka 35
Adhyāya 287 — Janaka’s Inquiry on Śreyas, Abhayadāna, and Asaṅga
Non-attachment
इस कारण कल्याणकी इच्छा रखनेवाले साधु पुरुष अनेक शास्त्रोंके अध्ययनसे नाना प्रकारकी प्रज्ञा (उत्तम बुद्धि) का ही अनुसंधान करते हैं। मुझे तो सभी प्राणियोंके लिये प्रज्ञाका लाभ ही उत्तम जान पड़ता है ।। नापृष्ट: कस्यचिद् ब्रूयान्नाप्यन्यायेन पृच्छत: । ज्ञानवानपि मेधावी जडवत् समुपाविशेत्,बुद्धिमान् पुरुष ज्ञानवान् होनेपर भी बिना पूछे किसीको कोई उपदेश न करे। अन्यायपूर्वक पूछनेपर भी किसीके प्रश्नका उत्तर न दे। जडकी भाँति चुपचाप बैठा रहे
nārada uvāca |
isa kāraṇa kalyāṇakī icchā rakhanevāle sādhū puruṣa aneka śāstroṃ ke adhyayan se nānā prakār kī prajñā (uttama buddhi) kā hī anusandhāna karate haiṃ | mujhe to sabhī prāṇiyoṃ ke liye prajñā kā lābha hī uttama jān paṛtā hai ||
nā-pṛṣṭaḥ kasyacid brūyān nāpy anyāyena pṛcchataḥ |
jñānavān api medhāvī jaḍavat samupāviśet |
buddhimān puruṣa jñānavān hone par bhī binā pūche kisī ko koī upadeśa na kare | anyāyapūrvak pūchane par bhī kisī ke praśna kā uttar na de | jaḍ kī bhānti cupcāp baiṭhā rahe |
Narada said: “For this reason, virtuous men who seek true welfare investigate many kinds of wisdom—excellent discernment—through the study of numerous śāstras. To me, the gain of such wisdom seems the highest good for all living beings. Therefore, even a learned and intelligent person should not offer instruction unasked, nor respond when questioned in an improper or unjust manner. In such situations, the wise should remain seated in silence, as though inert—guarding speech so that knowledge is not misused and dharma is not compromised.”
नारद उवाच
Educational Q&A
Wisdom (prajñā) is the highest benefit, but it must be governed by dharma: do not teach unless invited, and do not answer questions posed with improper intent or unjust framing; restraint in speech protects both the speaker and the listener from misuse of knowledge.
In Śānti Parva’s instruction-oriented setting, Nārada delivers ethical counsel about how a wise person should handle knowledge and speech—emphasizing disciplined learning and the careful, context-sensitive sharing of counsel.