Shloka 18
Jñāna-plava (The Raft of Knowledge): Svabhāva, Prajñā, and the Ascent to Ātmajñāna
ये धर्म चानुरुद्धयन्ते धर्मज्ञा द्विजसत्तम | ये हातो विच्युता मार्गात् ते हृष्यन्त्युद्धिजन्ति च
ye dharma cānuruddhyante dharmajñā dvijasattama | ye hātā viccyutā mārgāt te hṛṣyanty udvijanti ca ||
ਹੇ ਦ੍ਵਿਜ-ਸ਼੍ਰੇਸ਼ਠ! ਜੋ ਧਰਮ ਦੇ ਅਨੁਸਾਰ ਚਲਦੇ ਹਨ, ਉਹੀ ਧਰਮ-ਜਾਣੂ ਹਨ। ਪਰ ਜੋ ਮਾਰਗ ਤੋਂ ਹਟ ਕੇ ਡਿੱਗ ਪੈਂਦੇ ਹਨ, ਉਹੀ ਹੱਦੋਂ ਵੱਧ ਖੁਸ਼ੀ ਅਤੇ ਚਿੰਤਾ ਦੇ ਵਸ਼ ਵਿੱਚ ਆ ਜਾਂਦੇ ਹਨ।
जैगीषव्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
True knowledge of dharma is shown by living in accordance with it; deviation from the righteous path leads to emotional instability—swinging between excitement and anxiety—because one’s inner compass is no longer steady.
In a didactic exchange within the Śānti Parva, Jaigiṣavya addresses a learned ‘best of the twice-born’ and distinguishes genuine dharma-knowers (those who follow dharma) from those who have strayed, describing the latter’s disturbed mental state.