Mahabharata 4.50.9 — Virata Parva, Adhyaya 50, Shloka 9

अध्याय ५०: उत्तरेण सह अर्जुनस्य रथप्रयाणे ध्वजचिह्नैः कौरवसेनानिर्देशः

Arjuna directs Uttara by identifying Kaurava commanders through banners

Devanagari script

तथाधिगगम्य वित्तानि को विकत्थेद्‌ विचक्षण: । निकृत्या वज्चनायोगैश्वरन्‌ वैतंसिको यथा

Transliteration

tathādhigamya vittāni ko vikatthhed vicakṣaṇaḥ | nikṛtyā vañcanāyogaiś caran vaitamsiko yathā ||

Translation

以这种方式得来的财富，哪个明智之人会自夸？正如捕鸟者靠欺诈与精心编造的骗术维生；同样，若以虚伪诈取的生计而致富，在智者之中，又有谁会用自己的嘴来称赞自己？

Word by Word

• तथा: thus, in that manner
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• अधिगम्य: having obtained
• Type: Verb
• Root: अधि-गम्
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), parasmaipada (sense)

• वित्तानि: wealths, monies
• वित्तानि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वित्त
• Form: neuter, accusative, plural

• कः: who?
• कः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किम्
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• विकत्थेत्: would boast
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-कत्थ्
• Form: optative (vidhiliṅ), 3rd, singular, parasmaipada

• विचक्षणः: discerning, wise
• विचक्षणः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विचक्षण
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• निकृत्या: by deceit, by fraud
• निकृत्या: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: निकृति
• Form: feminine, instrumental, singular

• वञ्चनायोगैः: by means of deception-devices
• वञ्चनायोगैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वञ्चना-योग
• Form: masculine, instrumental, plural

• ईश्वरन्: a master (living by such means)
• ईश्वरन्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश्वर
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• वैतंसिकः: a bird-catcher (fowler)
• वैतंसिकः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैतंसिक
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• यथा: as, just like
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

Speaker

कृप उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Kṛpa
• vaitamsika (fowler/bird-catcher)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Wealth gained through deceit and fraudulent stratagems is ethically tainted; a truly wise person feels no ground for self-praise from such gains and avoids boasting, emphasizing integrity and humility.

What is happening in the narrative?

Kṛpa speaks critically about acquiring wealth by crooked means, using the example of a bird-catcher who survives through traps and deception, to argue that such earnings do not justify pride.