Shloka 13

कपोत-लुब्धकसंवादः — Hunter’s Remorse and Renunciatory Resolve

Devanagari script

अपक्वमतयो मन्दा न जानन्ति यथातथम्‌ | यथा हाराशास्त्रकुशला: सर्वत्रायुक्तिनिछ्ठिता

Transliteration

apakvamatayo mandā na jānanti yathātatham | yathā hāraśāstrakuśalāḥ sarvatrāyuktiniṣṭhitāḥ ||

Translation

Wika ni Bhishma: Yaong ang pag-unawa ay hindi pa hinog—mga taong mapurol ang isip—ay hindi nakakikilala sa katotohanan ayon sa tunay nitong anyo. Gaya ng mga nag-aangking bihasa sa isang kasulatan ngunit walang tunay na pagkamaster, sa lahat ng dako’y kumakapit sila sa mga pangangatwirang hindi angkop at walang tibay; kaya nalalampasan nila ang katotohanang dapat maging gabay sa wastong asal.

Word by Word

• अपक्वमतयः: those whose intellect is unripe
• अपक्वमतयः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अपक्वमति
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• मन्दाः: dull, slow-witted
• मन्दाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मन्द
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• जानन्ति: they know
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा
• Form: Present, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• यथा: as, in the manner that
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

• तथम्: so, thus; truly/as it is
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथम्

• यथा: just as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

• हारशास्त्रकुशलाः: skilled in the science of necklaces/garlands (i.e., a technical craft)
• हारशास्त्रकुशलाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हारशास्त्रकुशल
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• सर्वत्र: everywhere, in all cases
• सर्वत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वत्र

• अयुक्तिनिष्ठिताः: fixed/grounded in faulty reasoning
• अयुक्तिनिष्ठिताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अयुक्तिनिष्ठित
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Bhishma teaches that ethical clarity depends on mature understanding and sound reasoning; immature minds fail to grasp reality and instead rely on inconsistent arguments, which leads them away from dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on dharma and right conduct, Bhishma continues advising Yudhishthira by criticizing shallow, untrained reasoning and emphasizing the need to know things 'as they truly are' (yathātatham).