Shloka 30

Ajñātavāsa-saṅkalpaḥ — Yudhiṣṭhira’s Resolve and Dhaumya’s Exempla on Concealment

Devanagari script

सतां सकृत्संगतमीप्सितं परं ततः परं मित्रमिति प्रचक्षते । न चाफल सत्पुरुषेण सड़तं ततः सतां सन्निवसेत्‌ समागमे,सत्पुरुषोंका एक बारका समागम भी अत्यन्त अभीष्ट होता है। उनके साथ मित्रता हो जाना उससे भी बढ़कर बताया गया है। साधु पुरुषका संग कभी निष्फल नहीं होता; अतः सदा सत्पुरुषोंके ही समीप रहना चाहिये

Transliteration

satāṁ sakṛt-saṅgatam īpsitaṁ paraṁ tataḥ paraṁ mitram iti pracakṣate | na cāphalaḥ sat-puruṣeṇa saṅgataṁ tataḥ satāṁ sannivaset samāgame ||

Translation

Yama said: “Even a single encounter with the virtuous is supremely desirable; and greater still, they say, is to gain the virtuous as a friend. Association with a good person never goes fruitless; therefore one should dwell near the virtuous and remain in their company.”

Word by Word

• {'satām': 'of the good/virtuous people (genitive plural of sat)', 'sakṛt': 'once, even a single time', 'saṅgatam': 'association, companionship', 'īpsitam': 'desired, sought after, cherished', 'param': 'highest, supreme', 'tataḥ param': 'higher than that, beyond that', 'mitram': 'friend', 'iti pracakṣate': 'thus they declare/say', 'na ca': 'and not

• indeed not', 'aphalaḥ': 'fruitless, without result', 'sat-puruṣeṇa': 'with a good/noble person', 'tataḥ': 'therefore, for that reason', 'satām sannivaset': 'one should live near/with the virtuous', 'samāgame': 'in company, in association, in gathering'}

Speaker

यम उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Yama
• sat-puruṣa (the virtuous person)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even brief contact with virtuous people is highly beneficial; forming friendship with them is even more valuable. Their company always yields moral and spiritual fruit, so one should intentionally stay close to such people.

What is happening in the narrative?

Yama is delivering a dharma-instruction, emphasizing the practical path of seeking the company and friendship of the righteous as a means to cultivate virtue and avoid fruitless associations.