Shloka 78

Devanagari script

न देहभेदे मरणं विजानतां न च प्रणाश: स्वनुपालिते पथि । धर्म हि यो वर्धयते स पण्डितो य एव धर्माच्च्यवते स मुह्ृति

Transliteration

na dehabhede maraṇaṁ vijānatāṁ na ca praṇāśaḥ svanupālite pathi | dharma hi yo vardhayate sa paṇḍito ya eva dharmāccyavate sa muhṛti

Translation

ବ୍ୟାସ କହିଲେ—ଯେମାନେ ଯଥାର୍ଥ ଜାଣନ୍ତି, ସେମାନଙ୍କ ପାଇଁ ଦେହଭଙ୍ଗରେ ମୃତ୍ୟୁ ନାହିଁ; ଏବଂ ଯିଏ ରକ୍ଷିତ ପଥକୁ ନିଷ୍ଠାରେ ପାଳନ କରିଛି, ତାହା ପାଇଁ ପ୍ରକୃତ ବିନାଶ ନାହିଁ। ଯିଏ ଧର୍ମକୁ ବଢ଼ାଏ ସେଇ ପଣ୍ଡିତ; ଯିଏ ଧର୍ମରୁ ଚ୍ୟୁତ ହୁଏ ସେ କ୍ଷଣମାତ୍ରେ ମଧ୍ୟ ମୋହଗ୍ରସ୍ତ ହୁଏ।

Word by Word

नnot

देह-भेदेin the separation of the body (i.e., at bodily dissolution)

मरणम्death

विजानताम्of those who know/understand

नnor

चand

प्रणाशःdestruction/annihilation

स्व-नुपालितेin (the path) well-guarded/observed by oneself

पथिin the path/way

धर्मःdharma/righteousness

हिindeed/for

यःwho

वर्धयतेincreases/promotes

सःhe

पण्डितःa wise man/scholar

यःwho

एवindeed/just

धर्मात्from dharma

च्यवतेfalls away/deviates

सःhe

मुहूर्तम्for a moment/briefly

Speaker

व्यास उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vyāsa

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

True wisdom sees that the body’s dissolution is not the self’s annihilation; therefore one should focus on sustaining and increasing dharma. The mark of a paṇḍita is to strengthen dharma, while deviation from dharma—even briefly—brings moral confusion and downfall.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva’s instruction-oriented setting, Vyāsa delivers a reflective teaching to guide conduct after the devastation of war: he reframes death as bodily change and emphasizes steadfast adherence to the righteous path, defining wisdom by commitment to dharma.