Shloka 6

धन-यज्ञ-दानविवेकः

Wealth, Sacrifice, and Disciplined Giving

Devanagari script

कर्मनिष्ठां श्न बुद्धयेथास्तपोनिष्ठां श्व पार्थिव । वैखानसानां कौन्तेय वचन श्रूयते यथा

Transliteration

karmanīṣṭhāṃ ca buddhyethās tapo-nīṣṭhāṃ ca pārthiva | vaikhānasānāṃ kaunteya vacanaṃ śrūyate yathā ||

Translation

ରାଜନ୍! ଋଷିମାନଙ୍କ ମଧ୍ୟରେ କେହି କର୍ମନିଷ୍ଠ, କେହି ତପୋନିଷ୍ଠ—ଏହା ତୁମେ ଜାଣିବା ଉଚିତ। କୌନ୍ତେୟ! ବୈଖାନସ ମହାତ୍ମାମାନଙ୍କ ବଚନ ଏଭଳି ଶୁଣାଯାଏ—

Word by Word

• कर्मनिष्ठान्: those devoted to action
• कर्मनिष्ठान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कर्मनिष्ठ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• बुद्धयेथाः: you should understand/know
• Type: Verb
• Root: बुध्
• Form: Imperative, Second, Singular, Parasmaipada

• तपोनिष्ठान्: those devoted to austerity
• तपोनिष्ठान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तपोनिष्ठ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• पार्थिव: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थिव
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• वैखानसानाम्: of the Vaikhānasas
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैखानस
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• कौन्तेय: O son of Kuntī
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौन्तेय
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• वचनम्: statement/teaching
• वचनम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• श्रूयते: is heard/is said
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Passive

• यथा: as/thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

• राजन्: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

देवस्थान उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Devāsthāna (speaker)
• Pārthiva (the king, i.e., Yudhiṣṭhira by context)
• Kaunteya (Yudhiṣṭhira)
• Vaikhānasa sages

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse distinguishes two legitimate orientations among ṛṣis: commitment to dharma through prescribed action (karmanīṣṭhā) and commitment through austerity and renunciation (tapo-nīṣṭhā), presenting both as recognized, tradition-backed modes of righteous life.

What is happening in the narrative?

Devāsthāna addresses the king (Kaunteya/Yudhiṣṭhira), introducing a traditional Vaikhānasa teaching. The speaker frames the discussion by noting that sages follow different disciplines, preparing the listener for an authoritative exposition that follows.