Shloka 3
Mind as Charioteer; Kṣetrajña, Tapas, and Dhyāna-Yoga
Adhyātma-Upadeśa
Devanagari script
ज्ञानं निःश्रेय इत्याहुर्वद्धा निश्चितदर्शिन:
Transliteration
jñānaṃ niḥśreya ity āhur baddhā niścita-darśinaḥ
Translation
Vāyu said: “Those who are firmly established and whose vision is settled declare that true knowledge is the highest good—leading to final well-being and liberation.”
Word by Word
ज्ञानम्knowledge
ज्ञानम्:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootज्ञान
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
निःश्रेयःthe highest good, final beatitude
निःश्रेयः:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootनिःश्रेयस्
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
इतिthus
इति:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइति
आहुःthey say
आहुः:
TypeVerb
Rootअह्
FormPresent, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada
बुद्धाःthe wise, the enlightened
बुद्धाः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootबुद्ध
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
निश्चितदर्शिनःthose whose vision is certain/ascertained
निश्चितदर्शिनः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootनिश्चितदर्शिन्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
Speaker
वायुदेव उवाच
Characters & Entities
V
Vāyudeva (the Wind-god)N
niścita-darśinaḥ (the steadfast seers/wise)Character Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Cross References
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
The verse asserts that jñāna (true knowledge) is niḥśreyas—the supreme good—because it leads beyond temporary gains to ultimate welfare, i.e., liberation-oriented fulfillment.
Vāyudeva is speaking in a didactic context, presenting a concise doctrinal claim attributed to established seers: that the highest aim is attained through knowledge rather than through merely external achievements.