Shloka 5

अर्हणनिर्णयः

Decision on the Highest Honor at the Assembly

Devanagari script

कृशानर्थास्तत: केचिदकृशांस्तत्र कुर्वते । अवृशांश्व व॒शांक्षक्रुहेतुभि: शास्त्रनिश्चयै:

Transliteration

kṛśān arthās tataḥ kecid akṛśāṁs tatra kurvate | avṛśāṁś ca vaśāṁś cakruḥ hetubhiḥ śāstra-niścayaiḥ ||

Translation

毗舍波耶那说：随后在那会中，有些学者—凭藉从《沙斯特罗》（śāstra，圣典论著）中引出的理由与定论—以多般论法，使弱说似强，又使强说若弱。此景昭示：才辩若只为取胜，便能扭曲判断，使真正的正道亦为之动摇。

Word by Word

• कृशान्: weak (ones/arguments)
• कृशान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• अर्थान्: meanings/points (theses)
• अर्थान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• ततः: then/thereupon
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)

• केचित्: some (people)
• केचित्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: क (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• अकृशान्: not-weak/strong (ones/arguments)
• अकृशान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अकृश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• तत्र: there/in that context
• तत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)

• कुर्वते: they make/do
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: Present, Third, Plural, Ātmanepada

• अवृशान्: not-strong/weak (ones/arguments)
• अवृशान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अवृष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)

• वृशान्: strong (ones/arguments)
• वृशान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वृष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• अक्षक्रुहेतुभिः: by causes/grounds like dice-and-gambling (i.e., various specious grounds)
• अक्षक्रुहेतुभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अक्षक्रुहेतु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• शास्त्रनिश्चयैः: by scripturally-determined conclusions
• शास्त्रनिश्चयैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शास्त्रनिश्चय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse cautions that mastery of logic and śāstra can be used to manipulate perception—making the weak seem strong and the strong seem weak—so ethical discernment (dharma-buddhi) must guide debate, not mere victory.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana describes the atmosphere of the royal assembly: learned disputants employ varied arguments and śāstric conclusions to overturn positions, showcasing the power—and potential misuse—of intellectual skill in courtly settings.