Shloka 26

Vimokṣa-niścaya: Pañcaśikha’s Analysis of Aggregates, Guṇas, and Tyāga (मोक्षनिर्णयः)

Devanagari script

केषां बलाबल बुद्धया हेतुभिर्विमृशेद्‌ बुध: । एष मे संशयस्तात तनमे ब्रूहि पितामह

Transliteration

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca | keṣāṃ balābala-buddhyā hetubhir vimṛśed budhaḥ | eṣa me saṃśayas tāta tan me brūhi pitāmaha ||

Translation

ଯୁଧିଷ୍ଠିର କହିଲେ—ତାତ! ପିତାମହ! ବୁଦ୍ଧିମାନ୍ ପୁରୁଷ ନିଜ ବୁଦ୍ଧି ଓ ଯୁକ୍ତିଦ୍ୱାରା, କାରଣଗୁଡ଼ିକୁ ବିଚାର କରି, କେଉଁ କେଉଁ ଦୋଷର ବଳ-ଅବଳ ମୂଲ୍ୟାଙ୍କନ କରିବା ଉଚିତ? ଏହି ମୋର ସନ୍ଦେହ; ପିତାମହ, ଦୟାକରି ମୋତେ ଏହା ବୁଝାନ୍ତୁ।

Word by Word

• केषाम्: of which/whose
• केषाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किम्
• Form: any, Genitive, Plural

• बलाबल-बुद्ध्या: with the understanding of strength and weakness
• बलाबल-बुद्ध्या: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: बलाबल-बुद्धि
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• हेतुभिः: by reasons/arguments
• हेतुभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: हेतु
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• विमृशेत्: should examine/consider
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-मृश्
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• बुधः: a wise man
• बुधः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुध
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• एषः: this
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• मे: my/of me
• मे: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: any, Genitive, Singular

• संशयः: doubt
• Type: Noun
• Root: संशय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तात: dear one/son (vocative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तात
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• तत्: that (matter)
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• मे: to me
• मे: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: any, Dative, Singular

• ब्रूहि: tell (me)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू
• Form: Imperative (Lot), 2nd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• पितामह: O grandsire
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितामह
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

युधिछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Pitāmaha (Bhīṣma)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames ethical inquiry as rational evaluation: a wise person should not condemn or excuse blindly, but weigh faults by their relative strength and weakness, using clear reasons (hetu) and discernment (balābala-buddhi).

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s instruction-setting, Yudhiṣṭhira asks Bhīṣma (addressed as Pitāmaha) to clarify a doubt: which kinds of doṣas (faults/vices) should be assessed for their comparative force, and by what reasoning a wise person should judge them.