Previous Verse
Next Verse

Shloka 54

नारद–शुक संवादः

Impermanence, Svabhāva, and Śuka’s Resolve for Yoga

अजसं जन्मनिधनं चिन्तयित्वा त्रयीमिमाम्‌ | परित्यज्य क्षयमिह अक्षयं धर्ममास्थित:

ajasaṃ janma-nidhanaṃ cintayitvā trayīm imām | parityajya kṣayam iha akṣayaṃ dharmam āsthitaḥ ||

قال ياجنافالكيا: إذا تأمّل المرءُ أن دورة الميلاد والموت في السَّمْسارا تمضي بلا نهاية، فعليه أن يدرك أن نظام الطقوس الفيدية (ثالوث الفيدات وما تفرضه من أعمال) وما يترتب عليه من ثوابٍ أمرٌ فانٍ زائل؛ فليترك التعلّق بتلك المقاصد العابرة، وليتخذ في هذه الحياة نفسها ملجأه في الدارما غير الفانية.

अजस्रम्unceasingly, continuously
अजस्रम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootअजस्र
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
जन्मbirth
जन्म:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootजन्मन्
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
निधनम्death, destruction
निधनम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootनिधन
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
चिन्तयित्वाhaving reflected/considered
चिन्तयित्वा:
TypeVerb
Rootचिन्त्
Formक्त्वा (absolutive), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral), Non-finite
त्रयीम्the Vedic triad; the Veda (esp. ritual portion)
त्रयीम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootत्रयी
FormFeminine, Accusative, Singular
इमाम्this
इमाम्:
TypeAdjective
Rootइदम्
FormFeminine, Accusative, Singular
परित्यज्यhaving abandoned, renouncing
परित्यज्य:
TypeVerb
Rootत्यज् (परि-त्यज्)
Formल्यप् (absolutive), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral), Non-finite
क्षयम्perishability, decay
क्षयम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootक्षय
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
इहhere, in this world
इह:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइह
अक्षयम्imperishable
अक्षयम्:
TypeAdjective
Rootअक्षय
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
धर्मम्dharma, righteous path
धर्मम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootधर्म
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
आस्थितःhaving resorted to / established in
आस्थितः:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootस्था (आ-स्था)
Formक्त (past passive participle, used actively), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

याज़्ञवल्क्य उवाच

Y
Yājñavalkya

Educational Q&A

Because birth and death continue without cessation, one should see ritual actions and their promised rewards as transient and instead commit oneself to the imperishable Dharma—an orientation toward lasting spiritual-ethical realization rather than perishable gains.

In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on peace and liberation, the sage Yājñavalkya speaks as a teacher, urging a shift from reliance on Vedic ritualism aimed at finite results to the pursuit of an enduring, liberative Dharma grounded in insight into saṃsāra.