Shloka 17

Utkramaṇa-sthāna and Ariṣṭa-lakṣaṇa: Yājñavalkya’s Instruction on Departure Pathways and Mortality Signs

Devanagari script

निर्णयं चापि छिद्रात्मा न तं॑ वक्ष्यति तत्त्वतः । सोपहासात्मतामेति यस्माच्चैवात्मवानपि,जिसका चित्त शास्त्रज्ञानसे शून्य है, वह ग्रन्थके तात्पर्यका ठीक-ठीक निर्णय कर ही नहीं सकता। यदि वह कुछ कहता है तो मनस्वी होनेपर भी लोगोंके उपहासका पात्र बनता है

Transliteration

nirṇayaṃ cāpi chidra-ātmā na taṃ vakṣyati tattvataḥ | sopahāsa-ātmatām eti yasmāc caivātmavān api ||

Translation

Vasiṣṭha said: “One whose understanding is flawed cannot declare the true purport with certainty. Even if he is spirited or self-possessed, when he speaks without the foundation of śāstric knowledge he becomes an object of ridicule, for his words miss the real principle.”

Word by Word

निर्णयम्decision; correct ascertainment

चand

अपिalso; even

छिद्रात्माone of flawed nature; a defective-minded person

नnot

तम्that (it/him)

वक्ष्यतिwill say; will state

तत्त्वतःin truth; correctly; as it really is

सःhe

उपहासात्मताम्the state of being an object of ridicule

एतिgoes to; comes to; becomes

यस्मात्from which; because of which

चand

एवindeed; just

आत्मवान्self-possessed; intelligent; strong-minded

अपिeven; though

Speaker

वसिष्ठ उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vasiṣṭha

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Sandhi Notes