Shloka 8

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

Devanagari script

याज़्ञवल्क्य उवाच श्रूयतामवनीपाल यदेतदनुपृच्छसि । योगानां परमं ज्ञानं सांख्यानां च विशेषत:,याज्ञवल्क्थजीने कहा--भूपाल! सुनो, तुम जो कुछ पूछते हो, वह योग और विशेषत: सांख्यका परम रहस्यमय ज्ञान तुम्हें बताता हूँ

Transliteration

Yājñavalkya uvāca: śrūyatām avanīpāla yad etad anupṛcchasi | yogānāṃ paramaṃ jñānaṃ sāṅkhyānāṃ ca viśeṣataḥ ||

Translation

Yājñavalkya sprach: „O König, höre. Was du erfragst, ist das höchste Wissen des Yoga und, insbesondere, die eigentümliche höchste Einsicht der Sāṅkhya. Ich werde es dir darlegen.“

Word by Word

याज्ञवल्क्यःYajnavalkya

उवाचsaid

श्रूयताम्let it be heard / please listen

अवनीपालO king (protector of the earth)

यत्which / what

एतत्this

अनुपृच्छसिyou ask (further) / you inquire

योगानाम्of yogas / of yoga (systems)

परमम्supreme

ज्ञानम्knowledge

सांख्यानाम्of the Sankhyas / of Sankhya (doctrines)

चand

विशेषतःespecially / in particular

Speaker

याज़्ञवल्क्य उवाच

Characters & Entities

Yājñavalkya

avanīpāla (the king addressed)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames the forthcoming instruction as the highest liberating knowledge, presenting Yoga and especially Sāṅkhya as profound paths of insight; it signals a shift from mere discussion to authoritative spiritual exposition aimed at mokṣa.

What is happening in the narrative?

A king has asked a detailed question about Yoga and Sāṅkhya. The sage Yājñavalkya responds by requesting attentive listening and announces that he will explain the supreme doctrine the king seeks.