Shloka 17

Devanagari script

य एष चन्द्रार्कसमानतेजा जघन्यज: पाण्डवानां प्रियश्न । बुद्धया समो यस्य नरो न विद्यते वक्ता तथा सत्सु विनिश्चयज्ञ:,इनका तेज चन्द्रमा और सूर्यके समान है। ये पाण्डवोंमें सबसे छोटे और सबके प्रिय हैं। बुद्धिमें इनकी समानता करनेवाला दूसरा कोई नहीं है। ये अच्छे वक्ता और सत्पुरुषोंकी सभामें सिद्धान्तके ज्ञाता माने गये हैं

Transliteration

ya eṣa candrārka-samāna-tejā jaghanya-jaḥ pāṇḍavānāṁ priyaś ca | buddhyā samo yasya naro na vidyate vaktā tathā satsu viniścaya-jñaḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: “This one shines with a radiance like the moon and the sun. Though the youngest among the Pāṇḍavas, he is dear to all. No man is found who equals him in intelligence. He is also an excellent speaker, and in the assemblies of the virtuous he is regarded as one who knows how to reach sound and settled conclusions.”

Word by Word

यःwho

एषःthis (man)

चन्द्रmoon

अर्कsun

समानequal to, like

तेजाःone whose splendor is (like ...); radiant

जघन्यजःyoungest-born

पाण्डवानाम्of the Pāṇḍavas

प्रियःdear, beloved

चand

बुद्ध्याby intellect, in wisdom

समःequal

यस्यof whom

नरःa man (equal)

नnot

विद्यतेexists, is found

वक्ताspeaker, orator

तथाthus, likewise

सत्सुamong the good (people), in the assembly of the virtuous

विनिश्चयज्ञःknower of conclusions/decisions; expert in determining principles

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Pāṇḍavas

Moon (Candra)

Sun (Arka/Āditya)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse upholds an ethical ideal of leadership: true excellence is not only brilliance and strength (tejas) but also superior intellect (buddhi), refined speech (vaktṛtva), and the capacity to reach well-reasoned, dharmic conclusions (viniścaya) in the company of the virtuous (satsu).

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana is describing and praising a particular Pāṇḍava—identified by the verse as the youngest—highlighting his radiant presence, universal affection, unmatched intelligence, and respected authority in deliberations among good and learned people.