Mahabharata
Prajāgara (033) (Dhṛtarāṣṭra's Night of Anxiety, Chapters 33–40)5.33.21-25
4189 / 15823
Mahabharata · 5.33.21-25
Devanāgarī

यथाशक्ति चिकीर्षन्ति यथाशक्ति च कुर्वते ॥
न किं चिद् अवमन्यन्ते पण्डिता भरतर्षभ ॥
क्षिप्रं विजानाति चिरं शृणोति; विज्ञाय चार्थं भजते न कामात् ॥
नासंपृष्टो व्युपयुङ्क्ते परार्थे; तत् प्रज्ञानं प्रथमं पण्डितस्य ॥
नाप्राप्यम् अभिवाञ्छन्ति नष्टं नेच्छन्ति शोचितुम् ॥
आपत्सु च न मुह्यन्ति नराः पण्डितबुद्धयः ॥
निश्चित्य यः प्रक्रमते नान्तर् वसति कर्मणः ॥
अवन्ध्यकालो वश्यात्मा स वै पण्डित उच्यते ॥
आर्यकर्मणि रज्यन्ते भूतिकर्माणि कुर्वते ॥
हितं च नाभ्यसूयन्ति पण्डिता भरतर्षभ ॥

Transliteration (IAST)

yathāśakti cikīrṣanti yathāśakti ca kurvate ||
na kiṃ cid avamanyante paṇḍitā bharatarṣabha ||
kṣipraṃ vijānāti ciraṃ śṛṇoti; vijñāya cārthaṃ bhajate na kāmāt ||
nāsaṃpṛṣṭo vyupayuṅkte parārthe; tat prajñānaṃ prathamaṃ paṇḍitasya ||
nāprāpyam abhivāñchanti naṣṭaṃ necchanti śocitum ||
āpatsu ca na muhyanti narāḥ paṇḍitabuddhayaḥ ||
niścitya yaḥ prakramate nāntar vasati karmaṇaḥ ||
avandhyakālo vaśyātmā sa vai paṇḍita ucyate ||
āryakarmaṇi rajyante bhūtikarmāṇi kurvate ||
hitaṃ ca nābhyasūyanti paṇḍitā bharatarṣabha ||

Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
यथाशक्तिyathāśaktiaccording to their ability; as far as possible
चिकीर्षन्तिcikīrṣantistrive to do; wish to accomplish
यथाशक्तिyathāśaktiaccording to their ability; as far as possible
caand; also
कुर्वतेkurvatedo; perform
nanot; no
किंkiṃwhat; what kind of
चिद्cidat all; in any way
अवमन्यन्तेavamanyantedespise; regard as worthless
पण्डिताpaṇḍitāthe wise; intelligent people
भरतर्षभbharatarṣabhaO bull among the Bharatas; O best of the Bharatas
क्षिप्रंkṣipraṃquickly; immediately
विजानातिvijānātiunderstands; discerns
चिरंciraṃlong; for a long time
शृणोतिśṛṇotihears; learns
विज्ञायvijñāyahaving learned; having understood
चार्थंcārthaṃand the goal; and the benefit
भजतेbhajateturns to; embraces
nanot; no
कामात्kāmātout of desire; by whim
नासंपृष्टोnāsaṃpṛṣṭowithout being asked; not without being questioned
व्युपयुङ्क्तेvyupayuṅkteinterferes; brings to bear
परार्थेparārthein another's affair; for another's benefit
तत्tatthat; this
प्रज्ञानंprajñānaṃunderstanding; wisdom
प्रथमंprathamaṃfirst; foremost
पण्डितस्यpaṇḍitasyaof a wise man; of an intelligent person
नाप्राप्यम्nāprāpyamnot the unattainable; not that which cannot be obtained
अभिवाञ्छन्तिabhivāñchantidesire; yearn for
नष्टंnaṣṭaṃwhat is lost; what has perished
नेच्छन्तिnecchantido not wish; do not seek
शोचितुम्śocitumto mourn; to grieve over
आपत्सुāpatsuin misfortunes; in calamities
caand; also
nanot; no
मुह्यन्तिmuhyantibecome lost; fall into confusion
नराःnarāḥmen; people
पण्डितबुद्धयःpaṇḍitabuddhayaḥof wise understanding; intelligent in disposition
निश्चित्यniścityahaving decided; having firmly resolved
यःyaḥwhich; what
प्रक्रमतेprakramateproceeds; begins
नान्तर्nāntarnot in the midst; not within
वसतिvasatistops; dwells
कर्मणःkarmaṇaḥof an action; of a deed
अवन्ध्यकालोavandhyakālowhose time is not wasted; who does not squander time
वश्यात्माvaśyātmāself-possessed; of subdued mind
sahe; this one
वैvaiindeed; truly
पण्डितpaṇḍitaa wise man; an intelligent person
उच्यतेucyateis called; is named
आर्यकर्मणिāryakarmaṇiin noble deeds; in the acts of worthy people
रज्यन्तेrajyantetake delight; are inclined toward
भूतिकर्माणिbhūtikarmāṇideeds of well-being; acts of prosperity
कुर्वतेkurvatedo; perform
हितंhitaṃwhat is good; what is beneficial
caand; also
नाभ्यसूयन्तिnābhyasūyantido not envy; do not malign out of spite
पण्डिताpaṇḍitāthe wise; intelligent people
भरतर्षभbharatarṣabhaO bull among the Bharatas; O best of the Bharatas
Translation

He who strives to complete what he has begun, who never wastes his time, and who keeps his soul under control, is deemed wise. The wise, O bull of the Bharata race, always delight in honest deeds, do what furthers their happiness and prosperity, and never mock what is good. He who does not rejoice at honors, does not grieve at neglect, and remains cool and unperturbed like a lake in the current of the Ganga, is deemed wise. He is deemed wise who knows the nature of all beings (namely, that all is subject to destruction), who also perceives the connections among all actions, and who is skilled in the knowledge of the means to which people may resort (to attain their ends). He is deemed wise who speaks boldly, is able to converse on various subjects, knows the science of argument, possesses genius, and can interpret the meaning of what is written in books. He whose pursuits are governed by reason, whose mind follows the Scriptures, and who never withholds reverence from good people, is called a wise man.

Version

922bd4355fea · published Jul 17, 2026, 4:02:44 AM UTC

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