Shloka 22

Adhyāya 159 — Dāna–Dakṣiṇā, Āpaddharma Measures, and Prāyaścitta Classifications

Devanagari script

एतानशिष्टान्‌ बुध्यस्व नित्यं लोभसमन्वितान्‌ | शिष्टांस्तु परिपृच्छेथा यान्‌ वक्ष्यामि शुचिव्रतान्‌,जो सदा लोभमें डूबे रहते हैं, ऐसे ही मनुष्योंको तुम अशिष्ट समझो। तुम्हें शिष्ट पुरुषोंसे ही अपनी शंकाएँ पूछनी चाहिये। पवित्र नियमोंका पालन करनेवाले उन शिष्ट पुरुषोंका मैं परिचय दे रहा हूँ

Transliteration

etān aśiṣṭān budhyasva nityaṁ lobha-samanvitān | śiṣṭāṁs tu paripṛcchethā yān vakṣyāmi śuci-vratān ||

Translation

Reconoce como incultos a quienes están siempre impulsados por la codicia. Pero dirige tus preguntas solo a los verdaderamente cultos—los de votos puros—cuyas cualidades voy a describir ahora.

Word by Word

• [{'term': 'etān', 'definition': 'these (persons)'}, {'term': 'aśiṣṭān', 'definition': 'uncultured, ill-disciplined, not following good conduct'}, {'term': 'budhyasva', 'definition': 'understand, recognize (imperative)'}, {'term': 'nityam', 'definition': 'always, constantly'}, {'term': 'lobha', 'definition': 'greed, covetousness'}, {'term': 'samanvitān', 'definition': 'endowed with, accompanied by'}, {'term': 'śiṣṭān', 'definition': 'cultured, well-conducted, exemplary persons'}, {'term': 'tu', 'definition': 'but, however'}, {'term': 'paripṛcchethāḥ', 'definition': 'you should ask, inquire (optative/benedictive sense)'}, {'term': 'yān', 'definition': 'whom'}, {'term': 'vakṣyāmi', 'definition': 'I shall tell, I shall describe'}, {'term': 'śuci-vratān', 'definition': 'those of pure vows/observances

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Greed is a marker of bad conduct: those constantly ruled by lobha should be recognized as aśiṣṭa (unrefined). For guidance, one should consult śiṣṭa people—ethically disciplined individuals of śuci-vrata—because reliable moral knowledge is transmitted through character and self-restraint.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma, in his instruction on dharma, advises the listener to distinguish between the greedy and the truly cultured. He sets up the next portion of teaching by saying he will now describe the qualities of the śiṣṭa—those fit to be approached for resolving doubts.