Shloka 22

Skanda–Mātṛgaṇa-janma: Kumārakāḥ, Kanyāgaṇāḥ, and the Vīrāṣṭaka (स्कन्द-मातृगण-सम्भवः)

Devanagari script

त एव सुखमेधन्ते ज्ञानतृप्ता मनीषिण: । असंतोषपरा मूढा: संतोष॑ यान्ति पण्डिता:,केवल शोक करनेसे कुछ नहीं होता, संतापमात्र ही हाथ लगता है। जो ज्ञानतृप्त मनीषी मानव सुख और दु:ख दोनोंका परित्याग कर देते हैं, वे ही सुखी होते हैं। मूढ़ मनुष्य असंतोषी होते हैं और ज्ञानवानोंको संतोष प्राप्त होता है

Transliteration

ta eva sukham edhante jñāna-tṛptā manīṣiṇaḥ | asaṃtoṣa-parā mūḍhāḥ saṃtoṣaṃ yānti paṇḍitāḥ ||

Translation

The wise—whose minds are satisfied through true understanding—alone flourish in happiness. The deluded, driven by discontent, remain restless; but the learned attain contentment. Mere lamentation achieves nothing: it yields only burning anguish. Those thoughtful people who, being fulfilled by knowledge, relinquish fixation on both pleasure and pain are the ones who become truly happy.

Word by Word

तेthey (those)

एवindeed/only

सुखम्happiness

एधन्तेprosper/flourish

ज्ञानतृप्ताःsated/content with knowledge

मनीषिणःwise persons

असंतोषपराःdevoted to discontent; discontented

मूढाःthe deluded/fools

संतोषम्contentment

यान्तिattain/go to

पण्डिताःlearned/wise people

Speaker

व्याध उवाच

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?

Happiness arises from inner fulfillment born of knowledge and discernment; discontent is the mark of delusion. Lamentation without right understanding produces only distress, whereas the wise cultivate contentment and loosen their attachment to both pleasure and pain.

What is happening in the narrative?

The Vyādha (hunter) continues his instruction, contrasting the restless dissatisfaction of the deluded with the steady contentment of the wise, emphasizing that mere grieving is fruitless and that true well-being comes from knowledge-based equanimity.