Shloka 200

आपद्धर्मनिर्णयः — विश्वामित्र-श्वपचसंवादः

Apaddharma Determination: Dialogue of Viśvāmitra and the Śvapaca

Devanagari script

ततः शान्‍्त्रार्थतत्त्वज्ञो बुद्धिसामर्थ्यमात्मन:

Transliteration

tataḥ śāstrārthatattvajño buddhisāmarthyam ātmanaḥ

Translation

Alors, lui qui connaissait véritablement l’essence et la réalité des enseignements du śāstra, jaugea la force et la portée de son propre discernement—se préparant à agir selon la juste compréhension plutôt que sous l’emportement.

Word by Word

• ततः: then; thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (तद्-प्रातिपदिकात्)
• Form: अव्ययम्

• शान्त्रार्थतत्त्वज्ञः: knower of the true purport of the śāstra
• शान्त्रार्थतत्त्वज्ञः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्ञ (धातु) / तत्त्वज्ञ (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिकम्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्

• बुद्धिसामर्थ्यम्: the power/capacity of intellect
• बुद्धिसामर्थ्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सामर्थ्य (प्रातिपदिकम्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गम्, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनम्

• आत्मनः: of himself; of the self
• आत्मनः: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिकम्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, षष्ठी, एकवचनम्

Speaker

लोमश उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Lomaśa

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

True ethical action begins with clear discernment grounded in the real import of authoritative teachings; one should measure one’s own intellectual capacity and proceed with self-controlled, well-considered judgment.

What is happening in the narrative?

Lomaśa describes a moment of transition: after gaining or possessing insight into the true meaning of śāstric instruction, the subject turns inward to evaluate his own intellectual strength, indicating readiness for a deliberate, dharma-aligned course of action.