Shloka 18
Jñāna-plava (The Raft of Knowledge): Svabhāva, Prajñā, and the Ascent to Ātmajñāna
ये धर्म चानुरुद्धयन्ते धर्मज्ञा द्विजसत्तम | ये हातो विच्युता मार्गात् ते हृष्यन्त्युद्धिजन्ति च
ye dharma cānuruddhyante dharmajñā dvijasattama | ye hātā viccyutā mārgāt te hṛṣyanty udvijanti ca ||
ದ್ವಿಜಶ್ರೇಷ್ಠನೇ! ಧರ್ಮಕ್ಕೆ ಅನುಗುಣವಾಗಿ ನಡೆಯುವವರೇ ನಿಜವಾದ ಧರ್ಮಜ್ಞರು. ಮಾರ್ಗದಿಂದ ತಪ್ಪಿ ಬಿದ್ದವರೇ ಹರ್ಷ ಮತ್ತು ಉದ್ವಿಗ್ನತೆಯ ವಶರಾಗುತ್ತಾರೆ.
जैगीषव्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
True knowledge of dharma is shown by living in accordance with it; deviation from the righteous path leads to emotional instability—swinging between excitement and anxiety—because one’s inner compass is no longer steady.
In a didactic exchange within the Śānti Parva, Jaigiṣavya addresses a learned ‘best of the twice-born’ and distinguishes genuine dharma-knowers (those who follow dharma) from those who have strayed, describing the latter’s disturbed mental state.