Shloka 6

Śukasya Janma-yoga-phalaṁ — Vyāsasya Tapasā Putrārthaḥ (Śānti-parva 310)

Devanagari script

प्रभवं चाप्ययं चैव कालसंख्यां तथैव च । वक्तुमर्हसि विप्रेन्द्र त्वदनुग्रहकाड्क्षिण:,जनक बोले--ब्रह्मर्षे! इन्द्रियाँ कितनी हैं? प्रकृतिके कितने भेद माने गये हैं? अव्यक्त क्या है? और उससे परे परब्रह्म परमात्माका क्‍या स्वरूप है? सृष्टि और प्रलय क्या है? और कालकी गणना कैसे की जाती है? विप्रेन्द्र! ये सब बतानेकी कृपा करें; क्योंकि हमलोग आपकी कृपाके अभिलाषी हैं

Transliteration

prabhavaṃ cāpyayaṃ caiva kālasaṅkhyāṃ tathaiva ca | vaktum arhasi viprendra tvad-anugraha-kāṅkṣiṇaḥ ||

Translation

Janaka sprach: „O Vornehmster unter den Brahmanen, geruhe uns Ursprung und Auflösung (des Kosmos) zu erklären und ebenso die Berechnung der Zeit. Wir begehren deine Gunst und Unterweisung.“

Word by Word

प्रभवम्origin, creation

चand

अपिalso, even

अयम्dissolution, decay (laya)

चand

एवindeed, just

काल-संख्याम्the reckoning/measure of time

तथाthus, likewise

एवindeed, also

चand

वक्तुम्to speak, to explain

अर्हसिyou are fit/ought (to)

विप्र-इन्द्रO best of Brahmins

त्वत्-अनुग्रह-काङ्क्षिणःdesiring your favor/grace

Speaker

जनक उवाच

Characters & Entities

Janaka

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames a classical inquiry into metaphysical fundamentals—how the universe arises and dissolves, and how Time is to be understood and measured—presented as a humble request for instruction from a realized Brahmin-sage.

What is happening in the narrative?

King Janaka addresses a leading Brahmin (viprendra) and asks him to explain cosmological principles. The king positions himself as a seeker of the teacher’s grace, setting up a didactic discourse on creation, dissolution, and the nature of time.