Shloka 2

Devanagari script

द्विजेषु वैद्या: श्रेयांसो वैद्येषु कृतबुद्धयः । कृतबुद्धिषु कर्तार: कर्तषु ब्रह्मवादिन: २ ।। ब्राह्मणोंमें विद्वान, विद्वानोंमें सिद्धान्तके जानकार, सिद्धान्तके ज्ञाताओंमें भी तदनुसार आचरण करनेवाले पुरुष तथा उनमें भी ब्रह्मवेत्ता श्रेष्ठ हैं

Transliteration

dvijeṣu vaidyāḥ śreyāṃso vaidyeṣu kṛtabuddhayaḥ | kṛtabuddhiṣu kartāraḥ kartṛṣu brahmavādinaḥ || 2 ||

Translation

Drupada declares a hierarchy of excellence: among the twice-born, the truly learned are superior; among the learned, those whose understanding is firmly settled in right doctrine are superior; among those of settled understanding, the ones who act in accordance with it are superior; and among such doers, the knowers and expounders of Brahman are the highest.

Word by Word

द्विजेषुamong the twice-born (Brahmins)

वैद्याःthe learned/knowers (of the Veda)

श्रेयांसःbetter, superior

वैद्येषुamong the learned

कृतबुद्धयःthose of formed/settled understanding (decided in doctrine)

कृतबुद्धिषुamong those of settled understanding

कर्तारःdoers, practitioners

कर्तृषुamong the doers/practitioners

ब्रह्मवादिनःexpounders of Brahman (Brahma-knowers/teachers of Brahman)

Speaker

दुपद उवाच

Characters & Entities

द

द्विज (twice-born)

व

वैद्य/विद्वान (the learned)

क

कृतबुद्धि (persons of settled understanding)

क

कर्ता (doers)

ब

ब्रह्मवादी (expounders/knowers of Brahman)

द

द्रुपद (Drupada)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Excellence is graded from birth-status to learning, from learning to settled discernment, from discernment to consistent action, and finally to realization/teaching of Brahman—implying that lived dharma and spiritual insight surpass mere scholarship or social identity.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Udyoga Parva’s pre-war deliberations, Drupada speaks in a reflective, evaluative tone, emphasizing what kinds of people are truly ‘श्रेष्ठ’ (superior), thereby framing counsel and decision-making around dharma, competence, and spiritual maturity rather than rank alone.