Shloka 47

Yajña-bhāga-vyavasthā and the Pravṛtti–Nivṛtti Framework (यज्ञभागव्यवस्था तथा प्रवृत्तिनिवृत्तिधर्मविवेचनम्)

Devanagari script

परीक्षेत तथा शिष्यानीक्षेत्‌ कुलगुणादिभि: । “जैसे आगमें तपाने, काटने और कसौटीपर कसनेसे शुद्ध सोनेकी परख की जाती है, उसी प्रकार कुल और गुण आदिके द्वारा शिष्योंकी परीक्षा करनी चाहिये ।।

Transliteration

parīkṣeta tathā śiṣyān īkṣet kula-guṇādibhiḥ | yathāgnau tāpanāc chedanāt kaṣāyāṃ ca suvarṇasya śuddhiḥ parīkṣyate tathā kula-guṇādibhiḥ śiṣyāḥ parīkṣaṇīyāḥ | na niyojyāś ca vaḥ śiṣyā aniyoge mahābhaye |

Translation

ଭୀଷ୍ମ କହିଲେ—ଶିଷ୍ୟମାନଙ୍କୁ ପରୀକ୍ଷା କର; କୁଳ, ଚରିତ୍ର, ଗୁଣ ଆଦି ଦ୍ୱାରା ତାଙ୍କୁ ନିରୀକ୍ଷଣ କର। ଯେପରି ଶୁଦ୍ଧ ସୁନାକୁ ଅଗ୍ନିରେ ତାପ ଦେଇ, କାଟି, କସୋଟିପଥରେ ଘସି ପରଖାଯାଏ, ସେପରି କୁଳ, ଆଚରଣ ଓ ସଦ୍‌ଗୁଣ ଦ୍ୱାରା ଶିଷ୍ୟଙ୍କୁ ପରୀକ୍ଷା କରିବା ଉଚିତ। ଏବଂ ଶିଷ୍ୟମାନଙ୍କୁ କୌଣସି ଅନୁଚିତ କିମ୍ବା ମହାଭୟଙ୍କର କାର୍ଯ୍ୟରେ ନିଯୁକ୍ତ କରିବେନି। ବିଦ୍ୟାର ଫଳ ପ୍ରତ୍ୟେକଙ୍କ ବୁଦ୍ଧି ଓ ପାଠ-ପରିଶ୍ରମ ଅନୁସାରେ ହୁଏ; ତେଣୁ ସେମାନେ ଦୁର୍ଗମ ସଙ୍କଟ ଅତିକ୍ରମ କରି କଲ୍ୟାଣ ପାଉନ୍ତୁ ବୋଲି ମାର୍ଗଦର୍ଶନ କର।

Word by Word

• परीक्षेत: should examine/test
• परीक्षेत: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: परीक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: Vidhi-linga, optative (injunctive sense), 3, singular, Parasmaipada

• तथा: likewise/also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• शिष्यान्: disciples/students
• शिष्यान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: masculine, accusative, plural

• ईक्षेत्: should observe/consider
• ईक्षेत्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: ईक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: Vidhi-linga, optative, 3, singular, Parasmaipada

• कुल-गुण-आदिभिः: by (their) family, virtues, etc.
• कुल-गुण-आदिभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुल + गुण + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: masculine/neuter (collective), instrumental, plural

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• students (śiṣya)
• gold (suvarṇa)
• fire (agni)
• touchstone (kaṣā)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A teacher must carefully assess a student’s character and suitability—like assaying gold—and must not involve students in improper or dangerously harmful undertakings; learning succeeds according to aptitude and effort, so guidance should aim at the student’s welfare.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Bhishma’s instruction discourse in the Shanti Parva, he lays down ethical norms for pedagogy: how to evaluate disciples and what kinds of actions a teacher should never demand of them.