Shloka 8

Jñāna-plava (The Raft of Knowledge): Svabhāva, Prajñā, and the Ascent to Ātmajñāna

Devanagari script

निन्दत्सु च समा नित्यं प्रशंसत्सु च देवल । निद्ववन्ति च ये तेषां समयं सुकृतं च यत्‌

Transliteration

nindatsu ca samā nityaṁ praśaṁsatsu ca devala | nindavanti ca ye teṣāṁ samayaṁ sukṛtaṁ ca yat ||

Translation

ହେ ଦେବଳ! କେହି ମହାତ୍ମାମାନଙ୍କୁ ନିନ୍ଦା କରୁ କି ସଦା ପ୍ରଶଂସା କରୁ, କିମ୍ବା ତାଙ୍କର ସଦାଚାର ଓ ପୁଣ୍ୟକର୍ମକୁ ଢାଙ୍କିବାକୁ ଚେଷ୍ଟା କରୁ—ତଥାପି ସେହି ଜ୍ଞାନୀମାନେ ସମସ୍ତଙ୍କ ପ୍ରତି ସଦା ସମବୁଦ୍ଧି ରଖନ୍ତି।

Word by Word

• निन्दत्सु: among those who censure
• निन्दत्सु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: निन्दत् (√निन्द्)
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Plural

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

• समा: equal (same-minded)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम (सम)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• नित्यम्: always
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य

• प्रशंसत्सु: among those who praise
• प्रशंसत्सु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रशंसत् (√प्र-शंस्)
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Plural

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

• देवल: O Devala
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवल
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• निद्ववन्ति: they conceal/cover (uncertain reading)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √निद्वा/निद्वि (uncertain)
• Form: Present, 3rd, Plural

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

• ये: who (those who)
• ये: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• तेषाम्: of them
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• समयम्: conduct/observance (proper behavior)
• समयम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: समय
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• सुकृतम्: merit, good deed
• सुकृतम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुकृत
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

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

• यत्: whatever (that which)
• यत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• देवल: O Devala
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवल
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

जैगीषव्य उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Jaigiṣavya
• Devala
• mahātmā (great-souled persons)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches sama-buddhi (equanimity): a truly noble person remains inwardly even-minded whether praised or blamed, and is not shaken even when others attempt to conceal or diminish their virtue and merit.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva, Jaigiṣavya instructs the sage Devala on ethical and spiritual steadiness, describing the hallmark of great-souled people as impartiality of mind amid social reactions like praise, censure, and misrepresentation.