Mahabharata — Udyoga Parva, Shloka 2

Drupada’s Instruction to the Purohita for the Kaurava Embassy (द्रुपदोपदेशः दूतप्रेषणम्)

Devanagari script

द्विजेषु वैद्या: श्रेयांसो वैद्येषु कृतबुद्धयः । कृतबुद्धिषु कर्तार: कर्तषु ब्रह्मवादिन: २ ।।

Transliteration

dvijeṣu vaidyāḥ śreyāṃso vaidyeṣu kṛtabuddhayaḥ | kṛtabuddhiṣu kartāraḥ kartṛṣu brahmavādinaḥ || 2 ||

Translation

ଦ୍ୱିଜମାନଙ୍କ ମଧ୍ୟରେ ବିଦ୍ୱାନ ଶ୍ରେଷ୍ଠ; ବିଦ୍ୱାନମାନଙ୍କ ମଧ୍ୟରେ ସିଦ୍ଧାନ୍ତରେ ସ୍ଥିରବୁଦ୍ଧି ଥିବାମାନେ ଶ୍ରେଷ୍ଠ। ସ୍ଥିରବୁଦ୍ଧିମାନଙ୍କ ମଧ୍ୟରେ ତଦନୁସାରେ ଆଚରଣ କରୁଥିବାମାନେ ଶ୍ରେଷ୍ଠ; ଏବଂ ସେହି କର୍ତ୍ତାମାନଙ୍କ ମଧ୍ୟରେ ବ୍ରହ୍ମବାଦୀ (ବ୍ରହ୍ମଜ୍ଞ) ସର୍ବୋଚ୍ଚ।

Word by Word

• द्विजेषु: among the twice-born (Brahmins)
• द्विजेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Plural

• वैद्याः: the learned/knowers (of the Veda)
• वैद्याः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैद्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• श्रेयांसः: better, superior
• श्रेयांसः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रेयस्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• वैद्येषु: among the learned
• वैद्येषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैद्य
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Plural

• कृतबुद्धयः: those of formed/settled understanding (decided in doctrine)
• कृतबुद्धयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृतबुद्धि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• कृतबुद्धिषु: among those of settled understanding
• कृतबुद्धिषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृतबुद्धि
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Plural

• कर्तारः: doers, practitioners
• कर्तारः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्तृ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• कर्तृषु: among the doers/practitioners
• कर्तृषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्तृ
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Plural

• ब्रह्मवादिनः: expounders of Brahman (Brahma-knowers/teachers of Brahman)
• ब्रह्मवादिनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मवादिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

दुपद उवाच

Characters & Entities

• द्विज (twice-born)
• वैद्य/विद्वान (the learned)
• कृतबुद्धि (persons of settled understanding)
• कर्ता (doers)
• ब्रह्मवादी (expounders/knowers of Brahman)
• द्रुपद (Drupada)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Excellence is graded from birth-status to learning, from learning to settled discernment, from discernment to consistent action, and finally to realization/teaching of Brahman—implying that lived dharma and spiritual insight surpass mere scholarship or social identity.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Udyoga Parva’s pre-war deliberations, Drupada speaks in a reflective, evaluative tone, emphasizing what kinds of people are truly ‘श्रेष्ठ’ (superior), thereby framing counsel and decision-making around dharma, competence, and spiritual maturity rather than rank alone.