Shloka 9
Jñāna-plava (The Raft of Knowledge): Svabhāva, Prajñā, and the Ascent to Ātmajñāna
Devanagari script
उक्ताश्न न वदिष्यन्ति वक्तारमहिते हितम् । प्रतिहन्तुं न चेच्छन्ति हन्तारं वै मनीषिण:
Transliteration
uktāś na vadiṣyanti vaktāram ahite hitam | pratihantuṁ na cecchanti hantāraṁ vai manīṣiṇaḥ ||
Translation
耆吉湿婆耶说道：智者不以恶言还恶言。即使有人违逆他们的福祉，他们仍求其得益；即使有人击打他们，他们也不愿以击打回报以作报复。
Word by Word
उक्ताश्नthe wise (those who have eaten/accepted what is said; i.e., disciplined/controlled in speech)
उक्ताश्न:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootउक्ताशिन्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
नnot
न:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन
वदिष्यन्तिwill speak
वदिष्यन्ति:
TypeVerb
Rootवद्
FormSimple Future (Luṭ), Third, Plural, Parasmaipada
वक्तारम्the speaker
वक्तारम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootवक्तृ
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
अहितेin (one’s) harm / when harm is done
अहिते:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootअहित
FormNeuter, Locative, Singular
हितम्benefit, good
हितम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootहित
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
प्रतिहन्तुम्to strike back / to retaliate
प्रतिहन्तुम्:
TypeVerb
Rootप्रति-हन्
FormTumun (infinitive), Parasmaipada (sense)
नnot
न:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन
चand
च:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच
इच्छन्तिdesire, wish
इच्छन्ति:
TypeVerb
Rootइष्
FormPresent (Laṭ), Third, Plural, Parasmaipada
हन्तारम्the killer / one who strikes
हन्तारम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootहन्तृ
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
वैindeed
वै:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवै
मनीषिणःthe wise, the thoughtful
मनीषिणः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootमनीषिन्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
Speaker
जैगीषव्य उवाच
Characters & Entities
J
Jaigiṣavya (speaker)M
manīṣiṇaḥ (the wise)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
The core teaching is kṣamā and non-vengeance: a truly wise person does not repay harsh words with harsh words, and does not seek to harm even one who harms them, but instead aims at what is ultimately beneficial.
In Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma and conduct, Jaigiṣavya articulates the behavior of the manīṣin (wise): restraint in speech and refusal to retaliate, presenting an ideal of ethical self-mastery.