Shloka 17
Mind as Charioteer; Kṣetrajña, Tapas, and Dhyāna-Yoga
Adhyātma-Upadeśa
सहस्नेणापि दुर्मेधा न बुद्धिमधिगच्छति । चतुर्थेनाप्यथांशेन बुद्धिमान् सुखमेधते
sahasreṇāpi durmedhā na buddhim adhigacchati | caturthenāpy athāṁśena buddhimān sukham edhate ||
ಸಾವಿರ ಪ್ರಯತ್ನ ಮಾಡಿದರೂ ದುರ್ಮೇಧಾವಿಗೆ ನಿಜವಾದ ವಿವೇಕ ದೊರಕದು; ಆದರೆ ಬುದ್ಧಿವಂತನು ಅದರ ನಾಲ್ಕನೇ ಭಾಗ ಪ್ರಯತ್ನದಿಂದಲೂ ಜ್ಞಾನ ಪಡೆದು ಸುಖಸಮೃದ್ಧಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ವೃದ್ಧಿಯಾಗುತ್ತಾನೆ.
वायुदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that wisdom is not produced merely by multiplying external efforts; without sound intellect and receptivity, even great exertion may fail. Conversely, a discerning person needs comparatively little effort to grasp truth and thereby attain well-being.
Vāyudeva is speaking as a moral instructor, offering a general maxim about discernment and effort. The statement functions as ethical counsel within the Ashvamedhika Parva’s reflective, didactic passages.