Shloka 38

Devanagari script

योगशास्त्रमें कथित कर्म श्रेष्ठ फल देनेवाले, उन्नति करनेवाले एवं स्थायी हैं; तो भी प्रवृत्तिमार्गी मनुष्य उनको गुणरहित (निष्फल) और अस्थिर समझते हैं ।। गुणाश्षात्र सुदुर्ज्ेया ज्ञाताश्नात्र सुदुष्करा: । अनुषछिताश्चान्तवन्त इति त्वमनुपश्यसि,गुणोंके कार्यभूत जो यज्ञ-यागादि हैं, उनके स्वरूप और विधि-विधानको समझना बहुत कठिन है। समझ लेनेपर भी उनका अनुष्ठान करना तो और भी कठिन है। यदि अनुष्ठान भी किया जाय तो भी उनसे नाशवान्‌ फलकी ही प्राप्ति होती है। इन सब बातोंको तुम भी देखते और समझते हो

Transliteration

yogaśāstre kathitāni karmāṇi śreṣṭha-phaladāni, unnati-karāṇi ca sthāyīni; tathāpi pravṛtti-mārgī manuṣyās tāni guṇa-rahitāni (niṣphalāni) ca asthirāṇi manyante. guṇa-śāstrāḥ sudurjñeyāḥ, jñātāś ca saduṣkarāḥ; anuṣṭhitāś cānta-vanta iti tvam anupaśyasi.

Translation

Kapila said: “The actions taught in the discipline of yoga are described as yielding the highest results, promoting true elevation, and being enduring. Yet people devoted to the outward path of activity take them to be devoid of real worth—fruitless and unstable. The principles concerning the guṇas are exceedingly hard to understand; and even when understood, they are difficult to put into practice. And even when performed, their results are seen to be finite and perishable—this too you yourself observe.”

Word by Word

गुणशास्त्रthe treatise on qualities/merit (i.e., doctrine of guṇas/ritual-qualities)

सुदुर्ज्ञेयम्very hard to be known

ज्ञातम्known (once known)

शास्त्रम्the teaching/treatise

सुदुष्कराःvery difficult (to do)

अनुष्ठिताःperformed/undertaken

चand

अन्तवन्तःhaving an end; perishable

इतिthus

त्वम्you

अनुपश्यसिyou observe/see clearly

Speaker

कपिल उवाच

Characters & Entities

Kapila

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Kapila contrasts the promised excellence of yogic discipline with the common, activity-oriented mindset that dismisses it as ineffective. He emphasizes that understanding the guṇas and translating that understanding into practice is difficult, and that many action-based pursuits culminate in limited, perishable results—prompting a turn toward deeper, more enduring realization.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva’s instructional setting, Kapila addresses a listener and critiques reliance on outward ritual/action for ultimate fulfillment. He points to the complexity of guṇa-doctrine and the practical difficulty of sustained discipline, underscoring that even well-performed acts often yield only finite outcomes.