Shloka 28

Gṛhastha-vṛtti and Niyama: Models of Householder Livelihood and Discipline (गृहस्थवृत्ति-नियमाः)

Devanagari script

क्रियावान्‌ श्रद्दधानो हि दान्त: प्राज्ञोडअनसूयक: । धर्माधर्मविशेषज्ञ: सर्व तरति दुस्तरम्‌

Transliteration

kriyāvān śraddadhāno hi dāntaḥ prājño 'n asūyakaḥ | dharmādharmaviśeṣajñaḥ sarvaṃ tarati dustaram ||

Translation

ଯେ ନିଜ ଧର୍ମାନୁସାରେ କର୍ମ କରେ, ଶ୍ରଦ୍ଧାବାନ, ଇନ୍ଦ୍ରିୟ-ମନ ସଂଯମୀ, ପ୍ରାଜ୍ଞ, ଦୋଷ ନ ଦେଖୁଥିବା ଏବଂ ଧର୍ମ-ଅଧର୍ମର ଭେଦ ଜାଣେ—ସେ ଦୁସ୍ତରକୁ ମଧ୍ୟ ପାର କରି ସମସ୍ତ ଦୁଃଖରାଶିରୁ ଉତ୍ତୀର୍ଣ୍ଣ ହୁଏ।

Word by Word

• क्रियावान्: active; one who performs (proper) actions
• क्रियावान्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रियावत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• श्रद्दधानः: faithful; having faith
• श्रद्दधानः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रद्धा + धा (श्रद्दधत्/श्रद्दधान)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• हि: indeed; for
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

• दान्तः: self-controlled; restrained
• दान्तः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दान्त
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्राज्ञः: wise; discerning
• प्राज्ञः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राज्ञ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अनसूयकः: non-censorious; not fault-finding
• अनसूयकः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनसूयक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• धर्माधर्मविशेषज्ञः: knower of the distinctions between dharma and adharma
• धर्माधर्मविशेषज्ञः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्म + अधर्म + विशेष + ज्ञ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सर्वम्: all; the whole (of it)
• सर्वम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• तरति: crosses; overcomes
• Type: Verb
• Root: तॄ
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• दुस्तरम्: hard to cross; difficult to overcome
• दुस्तरम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुस्तर
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

व्यास उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vyāsa

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches that ethical action aligned with one’s dharma, supported by faith, self-restraint, wisdom, freedom from fault-finding, and clear discernment between dharma and adharma enables a person to transcend even the most difficult suffering.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s instruction-oriented setting, Vyāsa states a general principle of spiritual-ethical success: the character traits and discernment that allow a person to ‘cross over’ the hard-to-cross ocean of distress and moral confusion.