Shloka 18

Adhyāya 39 — Yudhiṣṭhira’s inquiry on attachment (saṅga) and relational restraint

Devanagari script

(विद्याविदो लोकविद: तपोबलसमन्विता: । नित्यपूज्याश्र वन्द्याश्न द्विजा लोकद्वयेच्छुभि: ।।

Transliteration

somah uvāca | vidyāvido lokavidaḥ tapobalasamanvitāḥ | nityapūjyāś ca vandyāś ca dvijā lokadvaye hitaiḥ || ity etan me pitā śrutvā somād adbhutadarśanāt | brāhmaṇān pūjayāmāsa tathaivāhaṃ mahāvratān ||

Translation

Soma nói: “Ai cầu phúc cho cả đời này và đời sau, hãy luôn tôn kính và cúi lạy các Bà-la-môn thông suốt tri thức thánh điển, am tường việc đời, và đầy đủ sức mạnh khổ hạnh cùng uy lực.” Nghe lời dạy ấy từ Soma—đấng có dung mạo kỳ diệu—cha ta đã phụng thờ những Bà-la-môn giữ đại nguyện; và ta cũng làm như vậy.

Word by Word

• विद्याविदः: knowers of learning
• विद्याविदः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद्याविद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• लोकविदः: knowers of worldly matters
• लोकविदः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोकविद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• तपोबलसमन्विताः: endowed with ascetic power and strength
• तपोबलसमन्विताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तपोबलसमन्वित
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• नित्यपूज्याः: always worthy of worship
• नित्यपूज्याः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नित्यपूज्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• वन्द्याः: worthy of reverence
• वन्द्याः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वन्द्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• द्विजाः: Brahmins (twice-born)
• द्विजाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• लोकद्वय: in the two worlds (this and the next)
• लोकद्वय: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोकद्वय
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• इच्छुभिः: by those who desire
• इच्छुभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: इच्छु
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• शुभिः: good (people)
• शुभिः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

Speaker

सोम उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Soma (Candra)
• Soma's father
• Brāhmaṇas (dvijāḥ)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

One who seeks well-being in both this life and the next should continually honor and show reverence to Brahmins characterized by learning (vidyā), worldly discernment (loka-jñāna), and ascetic power (tapas/bala). The verse frames such respect as a dharmic practice with benefits spanning the 'two worlds.'

What is happening in the narrative?

Soma speaks a maxim about whom to honor for the sake of welfare in both worlds. He then adds a personal testimony: his father, after hearing this instruction from Soma (described as wondrous in appearance), worshipped great-vowed Brahmins, and Soma states that he follows the same practice.