Shloka 19

Devanagari script

विद्याभिजनसम्पन्ने ब्राह्मणे गवि हस्तिनि । शुनि चैव श्वपाके च पण्डिता: समदर्शिन:,पण्डितजन विद्या और उत्तम कुलसे सम्पन्न ब्राह्मणमें तथा गौ, हाथी, कुत्ते और चाण्डालमें भी समभावसे स्थित ब्रह्मका दर्शन करनेवाले होते हैं

Transliteration

vidyābhijanasampanne brāhmaṇe gavi hastini | śuni caiva śvapāke ca paṇḍitāḥ samadarśinaḥ ||

Translation

విద్యా-వినయసంపన్న బ్రాహ్మణునిలోనూ, గోవులోనూ, ఏనుగులోనూ, కుక్కలోనూ, చండాలునిలోనూ పండితులు సమదృష్టితో ఒకే బ్రహ్మాన్ని దర్శిస్తారు।

Word by Word

विद्या-अभिजन-सम्पन्नेendowed with learning and noble birth

ब्राह्मणेin a Brahmin

गविin a cow

हस्तिनिin an elephant

शुनिin a dog

चand

एवindeed/also

श्वपाकेin a dog-cooker (outcaste/caṇḍāla)

चand

पण्डिताःthe wise (people)

सम-दर्शिनःseeing equally; impartial in vision

Speaker

व्यास उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vyasa

Brahmana

Cow

Elephant

Dog

Shvapaka (outcaste/caṇḍāla)

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?

The core teaching is samadarśitva—equal spiritual vision: the wise perceive the same Self/Brahman in all beings, regardless of learning, birth, or social status, and therefore avoid contempt, prejudice, and partiality.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma and inner peace, Vyāsa states a principle of true wisdom: a paṇḍita’s insight is shown by impartial perception across human and non-human beings, including those socially marginalized.