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Shloka 2

Prahlāda–Indra Saṃvāda: Kartṛtva (Agency) and Svabhāva (Nature) in the Causation of Karma

जन्ममृत्युजरादु:खैव्याधिभिमानसक्लमै: | दृष्टवैव संततं लोकं घटेन्मोक्षाय बुद्धिमान्‌,यह जगत्‌ जन्म, मृत्यु और वृद्धावस्थाके दु:खों, नाना प्रकारके रोगों तथा मानसिक चिन्ताओंसे व्याप्त है; ऐसा समझकर बुद्धिमान्‌ पुरुषको मोक्षके लिये ही प्रयत्न करना चाहिये

janma-mṛtyu-jarā-duḥkhair vyādhibhir mānasa-klamaiḥ | dṛṣṭvaiva satataṁ lokaṁ ghaṭen mokṣāya buddhimān ||

Bhīṣma sprach: „Da diese Welt fortwährend von den Leiden der Geburt, des Todes und des Alters durchdrungen ist —dazu von mancherlei Krankheiten und der Ermattung durch seelische Bedrängnisse—, soll der Weise sein Streben allein auf die Befreiung richten.“

जन्मby/with birth
जन्म:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootजन्मन्
FormNeuter, Instrumental, Plural
मृत्युby/with death
मृत्यु:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootमृत्यु
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Plural
जराby/with old age
जरा:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootजरा
FormFeminine, Instrumental, Plural
दुःखैःby/with sufferings
दुःखैः:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootदुःख
FormNeuter, Instrumental, Plural
व्याधिभिःby/with diseases
व्याधिभिः:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootव्याधि
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Plural
मानसक्लमैःby/with mental fatigue/distress
मानसक्लमैः:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootमानसक्लम
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Plural
दृष्ट्वाhaving seen
दृष्ट्वा:
TypeVerb
Rootदृश्
Formक्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral)
एवindeed/just
एव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव
संततम्continually/always (as an adjective: continuous)
संततम्:
TypeAdjective
Rootसंतत
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
लोकम्the world
लोकम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootलोक
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
घटेत्should strive/endeavor
घटेत्:
TypeVerb
Rootघट्
FormVidhi-lin (optative), 3, Singular, Parasmaipada
मोक्षायfor liberation
मोक्षाय:
Sampradana
TypeNoun
Rootमोक्ष
FormMasculine, Dative, Singular
बुद्धिमान्the wise (man)
बुद्धिमान्:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootबुद्धिमत्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular

भीष्म उवाच

B
Bhīṣma
L
loka (the world)

Educational Q&A

Recognize the pervasive nature of saṁsāric suffering—birth, death, aging, disease, and mental distress—and therefore prioritize striving for mokṣa (liberation) as the highest aim.

In the Śānti Parva’s instruction section, Bhīṣma continues advising Yudhiṣṭhira on the highest good; here he frames the world as continuously afflicted by inevitable sufferings and urges the wise to pursue liberation.