Mahabharata — Shanti Parva, Shloka 15
अव्यक्त-प्रबोधः (Awakening to the Unmanifest): The 25th and 26th Principles and Eligibility for Brahma-vidyā
यवक्रीतश्न नृपते द्रोणश्व॒ वदतां वर: । आयुर्मतज़ो दत्तश्न ट्रपदो मत्स्य एव च
Yavakrītaś ca nṛpate Droṇaś ca vadatāṁ varaḥ | Āyurmattaś ca Dattaś ca Tṛpaṇo Matsya eva ca ||
ਪਰਾਸ਼ਰ ਨੇ ਕਿਹਾ—ਹੇ ਨ੍ਰਿਪਤੀ! ਯਵਕ੍ਰੀਤ, ਬੋਲਣ ਵਿੱਚ ਸ੍ਰੇਸ਼ਠ ਦ੍ਰੋਣ, ਆਯੁਰਮੱਤ, ਦੱਤ, ਤ੍ਰਿਪਣ ਅਤੇ ਮਤਸ੍ਯ ਵੀ (ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਵਿੱਚ) ਸਨ।
पराशर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse functions as a mnemonic listing within a didactic discourse: it emphasizes the importance of remembering exemplary or noteworthy persons—especially teachers and learned figures—whose lives and speech are relevant to ethical instruction.
Parāśara addresses a king and enumerates several named individuals (including Droṇa, praised as an excellent speaker). The verse is part of a larger catalog-like passage in which figures are being cited or recalled to support the surrounding teaching.