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Shloka 21

कपोत-लुब्धकसंवादः — Hunter’s Remorse and Renunciatory Resolve

आगतागमया बुद्धया वचनेन प्रशस्यते । अज्ञानाऊज्ञानहेतुत्वाद्‌ वचनं साधु मन्‍्यते

āgatāgamayā buddhyā vacanena praśasyate | ajñānāj jñāna-hetutvād vacanaṃ sādhu manyate ||

Dijo Bhishma: Una afirmación es alabada cuando se pronuncia con un entendimiento asentado en la tradición recibida y en la enseñanza autorizada. Porque se vuelve causa de transformar la ignorancia en conocimiento, tal palabra se considera buena. Lo que aprueban los Vedas y los śāstras, y lo que se expresa mediante razonamiento, es lo que de veras afianza el valor de la escritura en la mente de la gente. Otros, en cambio, toman la lógica desnuda como el medio supremo para conocer lo desconocido: eso no es más que un malentendido.

आगताarrived/received
आगता:
Karana
TypeAdjective
Rootआगत (√गम् + आ- उपसर्ग, क्त)
FormFeminine, Instrumental, Singular
आगमयाby tradition/scriptural transmission
आगमया:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootआगम
FormFeminine, Instrumental, Singular
बुद्धयाby understanding/intellect
बुद्धया:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootबुद्धि
FormFeminine, Instrumental, Singular
वचनेनby speech/statement
वचनेन:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootवचन
FormNeuter, Instrumental, Singular
प्रशस्यतेis praised/commended
प्रशस्यते:
TypeVerb
Rootप्र-√शंस्
FormPresent, Third, Singular, Ātmanepada, Passive/impersonal sense
अज्ञानात्from ignorance
अज्ञानात्:
Apadana
TypeNoun
Rootअज्ञान
FormNeuter, Ablative, Singular
ज्ञानknowledge
ज्ञान:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootज्ञान
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
हेतुत्वात्because of being the cause
हेतुत्वात्:
Apadana
TypeNoun
Rootहेतुत्व
FormNeuter, Ablative, Singular
वचनम्a statement/speech
वचनम्:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootवचन
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
साधुwell; as good/right
साधु:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootसाधु
मन्यतेis considered/thought
मन्यते:
TypeVerb
Root√मन्
FormPresent, Third, Singular, Ātmanepada

भीष्म उवाच

B
Bhishma

Educational Q&A

Sound teaching should unite scriptural/traditional authority (āgama) with disciplined reasoning (buddhi). Speech that helps transform ignorance into knowledge is ‘good’; treating logic alone as supreme while ignoring śāstra is presented as misguided.

In Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma instructs Yudhiṣṭhira on dharma and right understanding. Here he explains how authoritative knowledge is validated: statements rooted in Veda/śāstra and supported by reason are what people accept and what makes scripture effective.