Shloka 23

मृत्यु-काल-प्रबोधनम् (Instruction on Mortality, Time, and Truth) — Mahābhārata, Śānti-parva 169

Devanagari script

लोष्टकाज्चनतुल्यार्था: सुहृत्सु दृढबुद्धय: । ये चरन्त्यभिमानानि सृष्टार्थमनुषज्धिण:

Transliteration

loṣṭa-kāñcana-tulyārthāḥ suhṛtsu dṛḍha-buddhayaḥ | ye caranty abhimānāni sṛṣṭārtham anuṣaj-dhiṇaḥ ||

Translation

毗湿摩说：见地坚固之人，视土块与黄金等值，在朋友之间亦能安定而和善。他们行于世而不执著于自大，依众生被安置于世之旨而活——离占有，离骄慢。

Word by Word

• लोष्टकाः: clods (of earth)
• लोष्टकाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोष्टक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• काञ्चनतुल्यार्थाः: having value equal to gold
• काञ्चनतुल्यार्थाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काञ्चन-तुल्य-अर्थ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• सुहृत्सु: among friends / in friends
• सुहृत्सु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुहृत्
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Plural

• दृढबुद्धयः: firm-minded (persons)
• दृढबुद्धयः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दृढ-बुद्धि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• ये: who
• ये: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• चरन्ति: conduct themselves / move about
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर्
• Form: Present, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• अभिमानानि: pride(s) / self-conceit(s)
• अभिमानानि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभिमान
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• सृष्टार्थम्: the accomplished/fulfilled purpose (as if already created)
• सृष्टार्थम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सृष्ट-अर्थ
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अनुषज्धिणः: clinging/attached (to it)
• अनुषज्धिणः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनुषज्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural, क्विन् (present participial/adjectival formation, irregular/rare), Active (parasmai sense)

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• loṣṭa (clod of earth)
• kāñcana (gold)
• suhṛt (friends)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse praises equanimity and inner steadiness: a wise person values gold and a clod alike, remains stable in relationships, and avoids ego-driven pride and possessiveness. Such detachment supports dharmic living and freedom from agitation caused by gain, loss, honor, or insult.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma instructs Yudhiṣṭhira on dharma after the war. Here he describes the marks of the steady-minded and ethically mature person—one who is not swayed by wealth and who does not act from abhimāna (ego), thereby living calmly and rightly in society.