Shloka 29

Devanagari script

असूक्ष्मदृष्टयो मन्दा क्राम्यन्ते तत्र तत्र ह । जो मूढ़ नाना प्रकारके मोहमें डूबे हुए हैं, जिन्हें बुद्धिके जालने बाँध रखा है और जिनकी दृष्टि स्थूल है, वे भिन्न-भिन्न योनियोंमें भटकते रहते हैं |। २८ ई ।। सुसूक्ष्मदृष्टयो राजन्‌ व्रजन्ति ब्रह्म शाश्वतम्‌,(एवं ज्ञात्वा महाप्राज्ञ स तेषामौर्ध्वदैहिकम्‌ । कर्तुमर्हति तेनैव फल प्राप्स्यति वै भवान्‌ ।।) राजन! महाप्राज्ञ! सूक्ष्मदर्शी ज्ञानी पुरुष सनातन ब्रह्मको प्राप्त होते हैं, ऐसा जानकर आप अपने मरे हुए सगे-सम्बन्धियोंका और्ध्वदैहिक संस्कार कीजिये। इसीसे आपको उत्तम फलकी प्राप्ति होगी

Transliteration

asūkṣmadṛṣṭayo mandā krāmyante tatra tatra ha | ye mūḍhā nānāprakārake mohe nimagnāḥ, buddhijālena baddhāḥ, sthūladṛṣṭayaś ca, te bhinna-bhinna-yoniṣu bhramanti | susūkṣmadṛṣṭayo rājan vrajanti brahma śāśvatam | evaṁ jñātvā mahāprājña sa teṣām aurdhvadaihikam kartum arhati; tenaiva phalaṁ prāpsyati vai bhavān ||

Translation

असूक्ष्मदृष्टयो मन्दा क्राम्यन्ते तत्र तत्र ह । सुसूक्ष्मदृष्टयो राजन् व्रजन्ति ब्रह्म शाश्वतम् । एवं ज्ञात्वा महाप्राज्ञ स तेषामौर्ध्वदैहिकम् । कर्तुमर्हति तेनैव फल प्राप्स्यति वै भवान् ॥

Word by Word

असूक्ष्मदृष्टयःthose whose vision is not subtle (gross-sighted)

मन्दाःdull, slow-witted

क्राम्यन्तेwander, go about

तत्रthere

तत्रthere (here and there)

हindeed, surely (emphatic particle)

सुसूक्ष्मदृष्टयःthose of very subtle vision (keen-sighted)

राजन्O king

व्रजन्तिgo, attain

ब्रह्मBrahman (the Absolute)

शाश्वतम्eternal

Speaker

विदुर उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vidura

King (rājan)

Brahman (brahma śāśvatam)

Departed kinsmen (teṣām—implied)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Vidura contrasts two paths: those trapped in delusion and a gross, concept-bound outlook keep transmigrating through many births, while those with subtle spiritual discernment attain the eternal Brahman. Therefore, one should uphold dharma through proper rites for the departed, which yields auspicious merit and supports inner clarity.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the aftermath of the war, Vidura counsels the king amid mourning. He urges him to perform the prescribed post-funeral rites for slain relatives, framing the act not only as social-religious duty but as ethically and spiritually beneficial, while teaching about delusion, rebirth, and liberation.