Mahabharata
Bhagavad-yāna (122) (The Embassy of Krishna to the Kurus, Chapters 71-137)5.122.21-25
4802 / 15823
Mahabharata · 5.122.21-25
Devanāgarī

यस् तु निःश्रेयसं वाक्यं मोहान् न प्रतिपद्यते ॥
स दीर्घसूत्रो हीनार्थः पश्चात्तापेन युज्यते ॥
यस् तु निःश्रेयसं श्रुत्वा प्राप्तम् एवाभिपद्यते ॥
आत्मनो मतम् उत्सृज्य स लोके सुखम् एधते ॥
यो ऽर्थकामस्य वचनं प्रातिकूल्यान् न मृष्यते ॥
शृणोति प्रतिकूलानि द्विषतां वशम् एति सः ॥
सतां मतम् अतिक्रम्य यो ऽसतां वर्तते मते ॥
शोचन्ते व्यसने तस्य सुहृदो नचिराद् इव ॥
मुख्यान् अमात्यान् उत्सृज्य यो निहीनान् निषेवते ॥
स घोराम् आपदं प्राप्य नोत्तारम् अधिगच्छति ॥

Transliteration (IAST)

yas tu niḥśreyasaṃ vākyaṃ mohān na pratipadyate ||
sa dīrghasūtro hīnārthaḥ paścāttāpena yujyate ||
yas tu niḥśreyasaṃ śrutvā prāptam evābhipadyate ||
ātmano matam utsṛjya sa loke sukham edhate ||
yo 'rthakāmasya vacanaṃ prātikūlyān na mṛṣyate ||
śṛṇoti pratikūlāni dviṣatāṃ vaśam eti saḥ ||
satāṃ matam atikramya yo 'satāṃ vartate mate ||
śocante vyasane tasya suhṛdo nacirād iva ||
mukhyān amātyān utsṛjya yo nihīnān niṣevate ||
sa ghorām āpadaṃ prāpya nottāram adhigacchati ||

Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
यस्yaswho; which
तुtubut; however
निःश्रेयसंniḥśreyasaṃthe highest good; the best outcome
वाक्यंvākyaṃword; speech
मोहान्mohānout of delusion; out of blindness
nanot; no
प्रतिपद्यतेpratipadyateaccepts; follows
sahe; this one
दीर्घसूत्रोdīrghasūtroslow; one who delays matters
हीनार्थःhīnārthaḥwho has lost his purpose; deprived of his goal
पश्चात्तापेनpaścāttāpenawith later remorse; with belated regret
युज्यतेyujyateis fitting; is joined
यस्yaswho; which
तुtubut; however
निःश्रेयसंniḥśreyasaṃthe highest good; the best outcome
श्रुत्वाśrutvāhaving heard; having learned
प्राप्तम्prāptamattained; received
एवाभिपद्यतेevābhipadyateimmediately accepts; attains at once
आत्मनोātmanohis own; of himself
मतम्matamis considered; opinion
उत्सृज्यutsṛjyahaving abandoned; having discarded
sahe; this one
लोकेlokein the world; among people
सुखम्sukhamhappiness; peace
एधतेedhategrows; flourishes
योyowho; one who
ऽर्थकामस्य'rthakāmasyaof one who desires benefit; of one seeking gain
वचनंvacanaṃword; command
प्रातिकूल्यान्prātikūlyānout of opposition; out of hostility
nanot; no
मृष्यतेmṛṣyateendures; accepts
शृणोतिśṛṇotihears; learns
प्रतिकूलानिpratikūlānihostile; adverse
द्विषतांdviṣatāṃof enemies; of those who hate
वशम्vaśamunder the power; under the control
एतिetigoes; comes
सःsaḥhe; that one
सतांsatāṃof the good; of the righteous
मतम्matamis considered; opinion
अतिक्रम्यatikramyahaving transgressed; having overstepped
योyowho; one who
ऽसतां'satāṃof the unworthy; of the wicked
वर्ततेvartatefollows; acts
मतेmateopinion; counsel
शोचन्तेśocantegrieve; mourn
व्यसनेvyasanein misfortune; in calamity
तस्यtasyahis; of that one
सुहृदोsuhṛdofriends; well-wishers
नचिराद्nacirādsoon; before long
इवivaas; like
मुख्यान्mukhyānchief; foremost
अमात्यान्amātyāncounsellors; ministers
उत्सृज्यutsṛjyahaving abandoned; having discarded
योyowho; one who
निहीनान्nihīnānthe lowly; the unworthy
निषेवतेniṣevatefollows; resorts to
sahe; this one
घोराम्ghorāmterrible; dreadful
आपदंāpadaṃcalamity; danger
प्राप्यprāpyahaving obtained; having reached
नोत्तारम्nottāramno crossing; no saving passage
अधिगच्छतिadhigacchatifinds; attains
Translation

"He who, out of delusion, does not accept a word leading to the highest good, being slow and having lost his purpose, is later joined with remorse. He who, having heard the highest good, immediately accepts the word that has reached him, abandoning his own opinion, grows in happiness in the world. He who, out of opposition, does not endure the word of one who wishes his benefit, listens to hostile words and falls under the power of his enemies. He who, transgressing the counsel of the worthy, follows the counsel of the unworthy, is soon mourned by his friends when he falls into misfortune. He who, abandoning his chief counsellors, follows the lowly, upon meeting a terrible danger finds no way across."

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b60ba24c7ca4 · published Jul 17, 2026, 5:51:08 AM UTC

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