Shloka 23

Udyoga-parva Adhyāya 123 — Bhīṣma–Droṇa–Vidura Upadeśa to Duryodhana

Keśava-vākya aftermath

Devanagari script

यस्तु नि:श्रेयसं वाक्य मोहाजन्न प्रतिपद्यते । स दीर्घसूत्रो हीनार्थ: पश्चात्तापेन युज्यते,“जो मोहवश अपने हितकी बात नहीं मानता है, वह दीर्घसूत्री मनुष्य अपने स्वार्थसे भ्रष्ट होकर केवल पश्चात्तापका भागी होता है

Transliteration

yastu niḥśreyasaṃ vākyaṃ mohāj janna pratipadyate | sa dīrghasūtro hīnārthaḥ paścāttāpena yujyate ||

Translation

ผู้ใดด้วยความหลงมัวไม่ยอมรับถ้อยคำตักเตือนอันนำไปสู่ความเกษมศานติสูงสุด ผู้นั้นย่อมเป็นคนผัดวันประกันพรุ่ง เสื่อมจากประโยชน์ของตนเอง และท้ายที่สุดย่อมมีแต่ความสำนึกผิดเป็นสหาย

Word by Word

यःwho

तुbut/indeed

नि:श्रेयसम्highest good, welfare

वाक्यम्statement, advice, words

मोहात्from delusion; due to delusion

नnot

प्रतिपद्यतेaccepts, follows, assents to

सःhe

दीर्घसूत्रःprocrastinating; slow to act

हीनार्थःone whose purpose/interest is lost; deprived of benefit

पश्चात्तापेनwith/by remorse

युज्यतेis joined with; is afflicted by; falls to the lot of

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

One should recognize and act upon advice that leads to true welfare (niḥśreyasa). Delusion (moha) makes a person reject beneficial counsel, and delay (dīrghasūtratā) then results in missed advantage and eventual remorse (paścāttāpa).

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Udyoga Parva’s counsel-filled setting before the war, Vaiśampāyana states a general moral principle: ignoring well-intentioned, welfare-producing advice due to delusion leads to procrastination, loss of one’s proper interest, and regret—an implicit warning to those resisting prudent counsel.