Shloka 21
एकचक्रानिवासे ब्राह्मणगृहदुःखश्रवणम् | Hearing the Brāhmaṇa Household’s Distress at Ekacakrā
यो जानाति परप्रज्ञां नीतिशास्त्रानुसारिणीम् । विज्ञायेह तथा कुर्यादापद॑ निस्तरेद् यथा
yo jānāti paraprajñāṁ nītiśāstrānusāriṇīm | vijñāyeha tathā kuryād āpadaṁ nistared yathā ||
Aquele que compreende a inteligência de outrem—como ela segue os princípios da arte de governar e da política ética—deve, tendo-a discernido aqui, agir de acordo, para atravessar a crise do modo devido.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches practical wisdom: discern the mindset and judgment of others—especially how they operate according to policy and ethical norms—and then respond appropriately. Such calibrated action helps one navigate and overcome times of danger (āpada).
Vaiśampāyana, in the course of narrating the Mahābhārata, states a general maxim of conduct: success in difficult situations depends on correctly reading others’ intentions and capacities and acting with nīti (prudent, principled strategy) so that adversity can be safely crossed.