Shloka 25

Sanatsujāta–Dhṛtarāṣṭra Saṃvāda: Pramāda as Mṛtyu

Chapter 42

Devanagari script

अपस्मारश्नातिवादस्तथा सम्भावना55त्मनि । एतैविंमुक्तो दोषैर्य: स दान्त: सद्धिरुच्यते

Transliteration

apasmāraś cātivādas tathā sambhāvanā ātmani | etair vimukto doṣair yaḥ sa dāntaḥ sādubhir ucyate ||

Translation

萨那苏阇多教示：真正有纪律的人，是已从若干内过中解脱者——心识昏乱、过度争辩之言，以及自矜自大。脱离这些瑕疵的人，为善者所认可，称为“达恩塔”（dānta），即能自制者，堪行于法（dharma）之道，并能在危难之时施以明智的劝告。

Word by Word

अपस्मारःforgetfulness/mental lapse

नातिवादःnot speaking excessively (absence of over-argument)

तथाand/also; likewise

सम्भावनाself-conceit/overestimation (lit. high opinion)

आत्मनिin oneself

एतैःby these

विमुक्तःfreed/released

दोषैःby faults; from faults (as the things removed)

यःwho

सःhe

दान्तःself-controlled; disciplined

सद्भिःby the good (people)

उच्यतेis said/called

Speaker

सनत्युजात उवाच

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

What is the core teaching?

Self-mastery is defined by freedom from key inner faults—bewilderment of mind, quarrelsome/excessive speech, and self-conceit. Such freedom is what the virtuous recognize as true discipline (dānta).

What is happening in the narrative?

In Udyoga Parva, Sanatsujāta instructs Dhṛtarāṣṭra on dharma and inner governance as the Kurukṣetra conflict approaches, emphasizing moral restraint and mental clarity as prerequisites for wise action.