Shloka 89

Devanagari script

यक्ष उवाच किं ज्ञानं प्रोच्यते राजन्‌ कः शमश्रन प्रकीर्तित: | दया च का परा प्रोक्ता कि चार्जवमुदाहतम्‌,यक्षने पूछा--राजन्‌! ज्ञान किसे कहते हैं? शम क्या कहलाता है? उत्तम दया किसका नाम है? और आर्जव (सरलता) किसे कहते हैं?

Transliteration

yakṣa uvāca: kiṁ jñānaṁ procyate rājan? kaḥ śamaḥ prākīrtitaḥ? dayā ca kā parā proktā? kiṁ cārjavam udāhṛtam?

Translation

The Yaksha said: “O King, what is called true knowledge? What is proclaimed as self-control (śama)? What is said to be the highest compassion? And what is declared to be straightforwardness (ārjava)?”

Word by Word

यक्षःthe Yaksha

उवाचsaid/spoke

किम्what

ज्ञानम्knowledge

प्रोच्यतेis called/said to be

राजन्O king

कःwhat/who

शमःtranquility/self-control

प्रकीर्तितःis proclaimed/declared

दयाcompassion

चand

काwhat (is)

पराsupreme/highest

प्रोक्ताis said/called

किम्what

चand

आर्जवम्straightforwardness/sincerity

उदाहतम्is stated/mentioned

Speaker

यक्ष उवाच

Characters & Entities

Yaksha

King (Yudhiṣṭhira implied)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames a dharma-test by asking for precise ethical definitions: true knowledge (jñāna) as discerning right and real, self-control (śama) as mastery of the mind, supreme compassion (parā dayā) as non-harm and active concern for beings, and straightforwardness (ārjava) as sincerity and lack of deceit in thought, speech, and conduct.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Yakṣa-prashna episode, the Yaksha questions the king to test his moral clarity and fitness to uphold dharma. This verse is one set of interrogatives, pressing him to define foundational virtues rather than merely claim them.