किञ्चित्संस्कृतबुद्धीनां श्रुतं शास्त्रमिदं यथा । मौर्ख्यापहं तथा शास्त्रमन्यदस्ति न किञ्चन ॥ १४ ॥
kiñcitsaṁskṛtabuddhīnāṁ śrutaṁ śāstramidaṁ yathā | maurkhyāpahaṁ tathā śāstramanyadasti na kiñcana || 14 ||
Translation
For those whose understanding is at least somewhat refined, there is no other scripture that takes away folly as this one does, when heard.
Word by word
- kiñcit
- somewhat
- saṁskṛta
- refined
- buddhīnāṁ
- for those whose understanding
- śrutaṁ
- when heard
- śāstram
- scripture
- idaṁ
- this
- yathā
- as
- maurkhya
- folly
- apahaṁ
- takes away
- tathā
- so
- anyad
- (anyat) other
- asti
- there is
- na
- no
- kiñcana
- at all
Meaning
The work speaks of itself, as it has before (2.11.68). Kiñcit-saṁskṛta, somewhat refined, is the same modest requirement. A claim of this kind is usual in Indian texts, which praise what they are about to teach, and it should be read so. It tells a reader what the author takes the work to be: a remedy for dullness, for those with enough cultivation to use it.