Mahabharata — Shanti Parva, Shloka 36
अव्यक्त-मानस-सृष्टिवादः
Doctrine of Creation from the Unmanifest ‘Mānasa’
अथ ये बुद्धिमप्राप्ता व्यतिक्रान्ताश्व मूढताम् । तेडतिवेलं प्रहृष्पन्ति संतापमुपयान्ति च
atha ye buddhim aprāptā vyatikrāntāś ca mūḍhatām | te 'tivelaṃ praharṣyanti santāpam upayānti ca ||
Mais ceux qui ont bien franchi la simple sottise sans pour autant atteindre la véritable compréhension s’exaltent à l’excès lorsque surviennent des circonstances agréables, et tombent dans une détresse intense lorsque se présentent des circonstances douloureuses.
ब्राह्मण उवाच
Educational Q&A
Mere escape from gross foolishness is not enough; without mature buddhi (steady discernment), a person remains emotionally unstable—overjoyed in pleasure and overwhelmed in pain. The ethical ideal implied is equanimity grounded in true understanding.
A brāhmaṇa speaker continues an instruction on inner discipline, describing a middle type of person: no longer utterly deluded, yet not truly wise, and therefore still tossed about by changing circumstances.