Shloka 24

Udyoga-parva Adhyāya 123 — Bhīṣma–Droṇa–Vidura Upadeśa to Duryodhana

Keśava-vākya aftermath

Devanagari script

यस्तु निःश्रेयसं श्रुत्वा प्राक्‌ तदेवाभिपद्यते । आत्मनो मतमुत्सूज्य स लोके सुखमेधते

Transliteration

yastu niḥśreyasaṁ śrutvā prāk tadevābhipadyate | ātmano matam utsṛjya sa loke sukham edhate ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: But the person who, having heard what leads to the highest good, promptly embraces that very course—abandoning stubborn attachment to his own opinion—thrives happily in the world.

Word by Word

• यः: who (he who)
• यः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• निःश्रेयसम्: highest good, welfare
• निःश्रेयसम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: निःश्रेयस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुं, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा (अव्यय-भाव), कर्तरि

• प्राक्: before/first
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्राक्

• तत्: that (very thing)
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुं, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• एव: indeed/just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• अभिपद्यते: resorts to, adopts, accepts
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि + पद् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथम, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

• आत्मनः: of oneself
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• मतम्: opinion, view
• मतम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मत (प्रातिपदिक; √मन्/मि 'to think' से निष्पन्न)
• Form: नपुं, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• उत्सृज्य: having abandoned, giving up
• Type: Verb
• Root: उत् + सृज् (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप्/क्त्वा-समकक्ष (अव्यय-भाव), कर्तरि

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• लोके: in the world
• लोके: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• सुखम्: happiness, comfort
• सुखम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुं, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• एधते: prospers, thrives
• Type: Verb
• Root: एध् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथम, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

True welfare (niḥśreyasa) comes to one who listens to beneficial counsel and promptly adopts it, setting aside ego-driven insistence on one’s own view; such flexibility and humility lead to happiness and prosperity in society.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Udyoga Parva’s counsel-oriented context, Vaiśampāyana articulates a general maxim: when a person hears guidance aimed at the highest good, he should accept it immediately rather than cling to personal opinion—this disposition is praised as leading to worldly flourishing.