Shloka 50

Devanagari script

युधिछिर उवाच स्वाध्याय एपषां देवत्वं तप एषां सतामिव । मरणं मानुषो भाव: परिवादोडसतामिव,युधिष्ठिर बोले--वेदोंका स्वाध्याय ही ब्राह्मणोंमें देवत्व है, तप सत्पुरुषोंका-सा धर्म है, मरना मनुष्य-भाव है और निन्दा करना असत्पुरुषोंका-सा आचरण है

Transliteration

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca | svādhyāya eṣāṃ devatvaṃ tapa eṣāṃ satām iva | maraṇaṃ mānuṣo bhāvaḥ parivādo ’satām iva ||

Translation

ಯುಧಿಷ್ಠಿರನು ಹೇಳಿದನು—ವೇದಸ್ವಾಧ್ಯಾಯವೇ ಬ್ರಾಹ್ಮಣರ ದೇವತ್ವ; ತಪಸ್ಸೇ ಅವರ ಸಜ್ಜನಧರ್ಮ; ಮರಣವು ಮಾನವಭಾವ; ಪರನಿಂದೆ ದುರ್ಜನರ ಆಚರಣೆ.

Word by Word

युधिष्ठिरःYudhiṣṭhira

उवाचsaid

स्वाध्यायःstudy/recitation of the Veda

एषाम्of these (people)

देवत्वम्divinity, godhood

तपःausterity, penance

एषाम्of these (people)

सताम्of the good/virtuous

इवlike, as

मरणम्death, dying

मानुषःhuman

भावःnature, state, disposition

परिवादःcensure, slander

असताम्of the wicked/non-virtuous

इवlike, as

Speaker

युधिछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

Yudhiṣṭhira

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse contrasts noble and ignoble traits: Vedic study is the sacred hallmark of Brahmins, austerity characterizes the virtuous, death is an unavoidable human condition, and slander is a defining behavior of the wicked—thus urging disciplined learning, self-restraint, and ethical speech.

What is happening in the narrative?

Yudhiṣṭhira is speaking in a reflective, didactic mode, articulating standards of conduct and identity-markers for different moral types—praising svādhyāya and tapas while condemning parivāda (slander) as a sign of moral corruption.