Shloka 36

Adhyāya 287 — Janaka’s Inquiry on Śreyas, Abhayadāna, and Asaṅga

Non-attachment

Devanagari script

ततो वासं परीक्षेत धर्मनित्येषु साधुषु । मनुष्येषु वदान्येषु स्वधर्मनिरतेषु च,मनुष्यको सदा धर्ममें लगे रहनेवाले साधु-महात्माओं तथा स्वधर्मपरायण उदार पुरुषोंके समीप निवास करनेकी इच्छा रखनी चाहिये

Transliteration

tato vāsaṃ parīkṣeta dharmanityeṣu sādhuṣu | manuṣyeṣu vadānyeṣu svadharmanirateṣu ca ||

Translation

Darum soll man den Ort seines Wohnens mit Einsicht wählen—man suche die Nähe heiliger Menschen, die fest in der Dharma stehen, und lebe unter Großmütigen, die ihrer eigenen rechten Pflicht (svadharma) ergeben sind. Solche Gemeinschaft trägt zur sittlichen Standfestigkeit bei und stärkt den Entschluss zu rechtschaffenem Handeln.

Word by Word

• ततः: then/thereafter
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (तद्-प्रातिपदिकात्)
• Form: Avyaya

• वासम्: dwelling/residence
• वासम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• परीक्षेत: should choose/seek out (lit. examine)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-ईक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Singular

• धर्मनित्येषु: among those constant in dharma
• धर्मनित्येषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्मनित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Plural

• साधुषु: among the virtuous/good people
• साधुषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: साधु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Plural

• मनुष्येषु: among men/people
• मनुष्येषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनुष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Plural

• वदान्येषु: among the generous
• वदान्येषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वदान्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Plural

• स्वधर्मनिरतेषु: among those devoted to their own duty
• स्वधर्मनिरतेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वधर्मनिरत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च
• Form: Avyaya

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• sādhu (virtuous people)
• vadānya (generous people)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Deliberately choose one’s environment and companions: living near people who are steady in dharma and devoted to svadharma nurtures one’s own righteousness and generosity.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nārada is giving practical counsel on righteous living, emphasizing that residence and association should be sought among virtuous, dharma-abiding, and generous people.