Mahabharata
Prajāgara (038) (Dhṛtarāṣṭra's Night of Anxiety, Chapters 33–40)5.38.6-10
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Mahabharata · 5.38.6-10
Devanāgarī

अरोषणो यः समलोष्टकाञ्चनः; प्रहीणशोको गतसंधिविग्रहः ॥
निन्दाप्रशंसोपरतः प्रियाप्रिये; चरन्न् उदासीनवद् एष भिक्षुकः ॥
नीवारमूलेङ्गुदशाकवृत्तिः; सुसंयतात्माग्निकार्येष्व् अचोद्यः ॥
वने वसन्न् अतिथिष्व् अप्रमत्तो; धुरंधरः पुण्यकृद् एष तापसः ॥
अपकृत्वा बुद्धिमतो दूरस्थो ऽस्मीति नाश्वसेत् ॥
दीर्घौ बुद्धिमतो बाहू याभ्यां हिंसति हिंसितः ॥
न विश्वसेद् अविश्वस्ते विश्वस्ते नातिविश्वसेत् ॥
विश्वासाद् भयम् उत्पन्नं मूलान्य् अपि निकृन्तति ॥
अनीर्ष्युर् गुप्तदारः स्यात् संविभागी प्रियंवदः ॥
श्लक्ष्णो मधुरवाक् स्त्रीणां न चासां वशगो भवेत् ॥

Transliteration (IAST)

aroṣaṇo yaḥ samaloṣṭakāñcanaḥ; prahīṇaśoko gatasaṃdhivigrahaḥ ||
nindāpraśaṃsoparataḥ priyāpriye; carann udāsīnavad eṣa bhikṣukaḥ ||
nīvāramūleṅgudaśākavṛttiḥ; susaṃyatātmāgnikāryeṣv acodyaḥ ||
vane vasann atithiṣv apramatto; dhuraṃdharaḥ puṇyakṛd eṣa tāpasaḥ ||
apakṛtvā buddhimato dūrastho 'smīti nāśvaset ||
dīrghau buddhimato bāhū yābhyāṃ hiṃsati hiṃsitaḥ ||
na viśvased aviśvaste viśvaste nātiviśvaset ||
viśvāsād bhayam utpannaṃ mūlāny api nikṛntati ||
anīrṣyur guptadāraḥ syāt saṃvibhāgī priyaṃvadaḥ ||
ślakṣṇo madhuravāk strīṇāṃ na cāsāṃ vaśago bhavet ||

Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
अरोषणोaroṣaṇofree from anger; not irritable
यःyaḥwho; he who
समलोष्टकाञ्चनःsamaloṣṭakāñcanaḥone who sees a clod of earth and gold alike; one who is the same toward clay and gold
प्रहीणशोकोprahīṇaśokoone who has abandoned sorrow; one freed from grief
गतसंधिविग्रहःgatasaṃdhivigrahaḥone who has left behind alliance and enmity; one who has gone beyond peace and war
निन्दाप्रशंसोपरतःnindāpraśaṃsoparataḥindifferent to blame and praise; one who no longer responds to censure or renown
प्रियाप्रियेpriyāpriyethe pleasant and the unpleasant; the beloved and the unloved
चरन्न्carannwandering; walking
उदासीनवद्udāsīnavadlike one indifferent; as though a bystander
एषeṣathis one; he
भिक्षुकःbhikṣukaḥa mendicant monk; one who begs for alms
नीवारमूलेङ्गुदशाकवृत्तिःnīvāramūleṅgudaśākavṛttiḥone who lives on wild rice, roots, ingudi fruit, and greens; one who subsists on forest fare
सुसंयतात्माग्निकार्येष्व्susaṃyatātmāgnikāryeṣvwith himself well-restrained in the fire-rites; self-controlled in the service of the sacred fire
अचोद्यःacodyaḥneeding no urging; acting without reminder
वनेvanein the forest; in the forest wilderness
वसन्न्vasanndwelling; residing
अतिथिष्व्atithiṣvtoward guests; with regard to guests
अप्रमत्तोapramattoattentive; not negligent
धुरंधरःdhuraṃdharaḥone who bears the burden; steadfast
पुण्यकृद्puṇyakṛdone who performs good deeds; one who accumulates merit
एषeṣathis one; he
तापसःtāpasaḥan ascetic; a devotee of austerity
अपकृत्वाapakṛtvāhaving done harm; having wronged
बुद्धिमतोbuddhimatoof a wise man; of an intelligent man
दूरस्थोdūrasthostanding far away; being at a distance
ऽस्मीति'smītithinking 'I am so'; saying 'I am'
नाश्वसेत्nāśvasetlet him not feel secure; he must not trust
दीर्घौdīrghaulong; far-reaching
बुद्धिमतोbuddhimatoof a wise man; of an intelligent man
बाहूbāhūarms; hands
याभ्यांyābhyāṃwith which two; with which
हिंसतिhiṃsatihe strikes; he harms
हिंसितःhiṃsitaḥhaving been wronged; having been struck
nanot; no
विश्वसेद्viśvasedlet him trust; one should rely
अविश्वस्तेaviśvastein one unworthy of trust; in the unreliable one
विश्वस्तेviśvastein one worthy of trust; in the reliable one
नातिविश्वसेत्nātiviśvasetone should not trust excessively; let him not rely too much
विश्वासाद्viśvāsādfrom trust; from over-trustfulness
भयम्bhayamfear; danger
उत्पन्नंutpannaṃarisen; that has appeared
मूलान्य्mūlānythe roots; the foundations
अपिapieven; also
निकृन्ततिnikṛntaticuts away; severs
अनीर्ष्युर्anīrṣyurfree from envy; without jealousy
गुप्तदारःguptadāraḥone who guards his wife; one who protects his household
स्यात्syātwould be; let him be
संविभागीsaṃvibhāgīone who shares; one who distributes
प्रियंवदःpriyaṃvadaḥone who speaks pleasantly; gentle in speech
श्लक्ष्णोślakṣṇogentle; courteous
मधुरवाक्madhuravāksweet-spoken; one who speaks agreeably
स्त्रीणांstrīṇāṃtoward women; toward wives
nanot; no
चासांcāsāṃand their; and of women
वशगोvaśagosubservient; subject
भवेत्bhavetwould be; let him be
Translation

A brahmin should never sell salt, cooked food, curds, milk, honey, oil, clarified butter, sesame, meat, fruit, roots, greens, dyed cloth, any kind of perfume, or molasses. He who never yields to anger, who stands above grief, who no longer has need of friendship or quarrels, who is indifferent alike to praise and to blame, and who stands apart from both the pleasant and the unpleasant, as one wholly detached from the world — he is a true yogin of the mendicant order. That virtuous ascetic who lives on wild rice, roots, or greens, who keeps his soul under control, who carefully tends his sacrificial fire, and who, dwelling in the forest, is ever attentive to his guests, is indeed the best of his order. Having wronged a wise man, one should never take comfort in the thought that one lives far away from the man one has wronged. Long are the arms of the wise, with which they can repay the evil done to them.

Version

b6e1a10fe9b7 · published Jul 17, 2026, 4:02:44 AM UTC

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