Shloka 29

Jarā-Mṛtyu-anatikrama: Janaka–Pañcaśikha-saṃvāda

Aging and Death Cannot Be Overstepped

Devanagari script

यो5हमज्ञानसम्मोहादज्ञया सम्प्रवृत्तवान्‌ | ससज््याहं नि:ःसड़:ः स्थित: कालमिमं त्वहम्‌

Transliteration

yo ’ham ajñāna-sammohād ajñayā sampravṛttavān | sa-sajya-ahaṁ niḥsaṅgaḥ sthitaḥ kālam imaṁ tv aham ||

Translation

Vasiṣṭha sprach: „Obwohl ich in Wahrheit frei von Anhaftung bin, wurde ich doch durch Unwissenheit und Verblendung zum Handeln getrieben. So verbrachte ich, innerlich unangeheftet, diese lange Zeit verstrickt in diese träge, anhaftungserzeugende materielle Natur.“

Word by Word

• यः: who
• यः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अज्ञानसम्मोहात्: from delusion due to ignorance
• अज्ञानसम्मोहात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अज्ञानसम्मोह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Ablative, Singular

• अज्ञया: by ignorance / by non-knowledge
• अज्ञया: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अज्ञा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• सम्प्रवृत्तवान्: set forth / engaged (I did)
• सम्प्रवृत्तवान्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-प्र-वृत् (धातु) / प्रवृत्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Perfect (periphrastic), Third, Singular, Masculine

• सः: that (he/I as referred)
• सः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सज्ज्य: having attached / being attached (as an adverbial qualifier)
• सज्ज्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सञ्ज् (धातु) / सज्ज्य (कृदन्त/अव्ययभाव-रूप)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• निःसङ्गः: detached / free from attachment
• निःसङ्गः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निःसङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• स्थितः: standing / remaining
• स्थितः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु) / स्थित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Past participle, Third, Singular, Masculine

• कालम्: time
• कालम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• इमम्: this
• इमम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• तु: but / however
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वसिष्ठ उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vasiṣṭha

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even one who is essentially unattached can appear bound and active when overpowered by ignorance and delusion; therefore liberation requires clear self-knowledge and vigilance against moha, not merely an outward posture of renunciation.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vasiṣṭha reflects on his own condition: despite his inner freedom (niḥsaṅgatva), he admits that ignorance propelled him into prolonged involvement with binding material nature, illustrating how delusion can sustain worldly entanglement over time.