Shloka 3

अध्यात्म-तत्त्व-निर्णयः

Adhyātma Taxonomy: Elements, Faculties, and Guṇas

Devanagari script

तपसा ब्रह्मचर्येण सर्वत्यागेन मेधया । सांख्ये वा यदि वा योग एतत्‌ पृष्ठो वदस्व मे

Transliteration

tapasā brahmacaryeṇa sarvatyāgena medhayā | sāṅkhye vā yadi vā yoga etat pṛṣṭo vadasva me ||

Translation

Śuka said: “By austerity, by the discipline of brahmacarya (celibate studentship), by complete renunciation, or by the power of discerning intelligence—whether through Sāṅkhya or through Yoga—by which means is direct realization of the truth held to be attained? I ask you this; please teach me on this matter.”

Word by Word

• {'tapasā': 'by tapas

• austerity, disciplined spiritual effort', 'brahmacaryeṇa': 'by brahmacarya

• celibacy/chaste conduct, regulated life of a student', 'sarvatyāgena': 'by sarva-tyāga

• total renunciation, relinquishing all possessions/claims', 'medhayā': 'by medhā

• keen intelligence, penetrating discernment', 'sāṅkhye': 'in/through Sāṅkhya

• the path of discriminative knowledge and analysis of principles', 'yoga': 'Yoga

• the path of disciplined practice leading to concentration and realization', 'yadi vā': 'or if

• alternatively', 'etat': 'this (matter/question)', 'pṛṣṭaḥ': 'having been asked

• questioned', 'vadasva': 'tell, explain (imperative)', 'me': 'to me'}

Speaker

शुक उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Śuka

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames a classical inquiry: among austerity, celibate discipline, total renunciation, and sharp discernment—and within the two major soteriological frameworks of Sāṅkhya and Yoga—which is regarded as the effective means for direct realization of ultimate truth (tattva-sākṣātkāra).

What is happening in the narrative?

Śuka, in the role of a sincere seeker, respectfully questions a teacher about the relative efficacy of different spiritual disciplines and philosophical paths, requesting clear instruction on how realization is attained.