Mahabharata — Shanti Parva, Shloka 5

कर्म–ज्ञान–दैव–स्वभावविचारः

Inquiry into Karma, Knowledge, Fate, and Nature

Devanagari script

न चारित्रनिमित्तो5स्याहंकारो देहतापन: । अभिन्नश्रुतचारित्रस्तस्मात्‌ सर्वत्र पूजित:

Transliteration

na cāritra-nimitto ’syāhaṅkāro deha-tāpanaḥ | abhinna-śruta-cāritras tasmāt sarvatra pūjitaḥ ||

Translation

नारदजी में शास्त्रज्ञान और चरित्रबल दोनों एक साथ संयुक्त हैं; फिर भी सच्चरित्रता के कारण उनके मन में तनिक भी अहंकार नहीं—जो देह को संतप्त करने वाला है। इसी अहंकार के अभाव से वे सर्वत्र पूजित हैं।

Word by Word

• {'na': 'not', 'cāritra': 'conduct, moral character, disciplined behavior', 'nimitta': 'cause, occasion, basis', 'asya': 'of him, in him', 'ahaṅkāra': 'ego-sense, pride, self-conceit', 'deha': 'body', 'tāpanaḥ': 'burning, tormenting

• that which causes heat/suffering', 'abhinna': 'undivided, inseparable', 'śruta': 'what is heard/learned

• sacred learning, scriptural knowledge', 'cāritraḥ / cāritras': 'one whose conduct is (such)

• character-endowed person', 'tasmāt': 'therefore, for that reason', 'sarvatra': 'everywhere', 'pūjitaḥ': 'honored, revered, worshipped'}

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vāyu (Vāyudeva)
• Nārada

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even virtue can become a source of pride; such ego is harmful. True greatness is the union of learning (śruta) and conduct (cāritra) without self-conceit, which naturally leads to genuine respect.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyudeva is describing Nārada’s qualities: he possesses both scriptural knowledge and strong character, yet remains free from pride about his virtue; therefore he is revered everywhere.