Shloka 13

Devanagari script

आहुर्वे बहुपादानि जड़मानि द्वयानि तु । बहुपाद्धयो विशिष्टानि द्विपदानि बहून्यपि

Transliteration

āhur vai bahupādāni jaḍāni dvayāni tu | bahupādhyāḥ viśiṣṭāni dvipadāni bahūny api ||

Translation

அவர்கள் கூறுகின்றனர்: பலகாலுடைய உயிர்கள் மந்தமானவை; இருகாலுடையவர்களும் (சிலர்) அப்படியே. ஆயினும் பலகாலுடையவர்களிலும் சிலர் மேன்மையுடையோர்; இருகாலுடையவர்களிலும் பல வகைகளும் பல நிலைகளும் உள்ளன.

Word by Word

आहुःthey say

वैindeed

बहुपादानिmany-footed (creatures)

जडमानिinert, dull

द्वयानिpairs, dual kinds

तुbut, however

बहुपाद्यःfrom the many-footed (ones)

विशिष्टानिdistinguished, superior

द्विपदानिtwo-footed (creatures)

बहूनिmany

अपिalso, even

Speaker

व्यास उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vyasa

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

External form (many-footed or two-footed) does not by itself determine excellence; within every class there are superior and inferior types. The verse points toward ethical discernment—judging by qualities and conduct rather than mere category.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva’s didactic setting, Vyāsa states a general observation about living beings, preparing the ground for a broader moral discussion on gradations of nature and the criteria for true superiority.