Shloka 40
Śuka’s Guṇa-Transcendence and Vyāsa’s Consolation (शुकगति-वर्णनम्)
प्रहायोभयमप्येव ज्ञानं कर्म च केवलम् | तृतीयेयं समाख्याता निष्ठा तेन महात्मना
prahāyobhayam apy eva jñānaṃ karma ca kevalam | tṛtīyeyaṃ samākhyātā niṣṭhā tena mahātmanā ||
কিন্তু সেই মহাত্মা আচার্য কেবল জ্ঞান ও কেবল কর্ম—উভয় পক্ষই পরিত্যাগ করে তৃতীয় এক নिष्ठার কথা ঘোষণা করেছিলেন।
जनक उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse rejects exclusivism: neither ‘mere knowledge’ nor ‘mere action’ is presented as sufficient by itself. A ‘third niṣṭhā’ is taught—an alternative discipline that transcends one-sided reliance on either intellectualism or ritualistic/outer activity, pointing toward a more integrated spiritual commitment.
King Janaka is recounting or endorsing a doctrinal point attributed to a great teacher (understood in this context as Pañcaśikha): that after setting aside the two previously stated standpoints—exclusive jñāna and exclusive karma—he proclaimed a third, distinct path of steadfast practice.