Shloka 20

Adhyāya 287 — Janaka’s Inquiry on Śreyas, Abhayadāna, and Asaṅga

Non-attachment

Devanagari script

सत्यस्य वचन श्रेय: सत्यज्ञानं तु दुष्करम्‌ । यद्‌ भूतहितमत्यन्तमेतत्‌ सत्य॑ ब्रवीम्पहम्‌

Transliteration

satyasya vacanaṁ śreyaḥ satyajñānaṁ tu duṣkaram | yad bhūtahitam atyantam etat satyaṁ bravīmy aham ||

Translation

To speak the truth is indeed beneficial; yet to truly know the truth is difficult. That which is supremely for the welfare of all beings—this I declare to be ‘truth’.

Word by Word

• सत्यस्य: of truth
• सत्यस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्य
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• वचनम्: speaking; statement
• वचनम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• श्रेयः: better; beneficial; the good
• श्रेयः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रेयस्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• सत्यज्ञानम्: knowledge of truth
• सत्यज्ञानम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्यज्ञान
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

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

• दुष्करम्: difficult
• दुष्करम्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुष्कर
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• यत्: which; that which
• यत्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• भूतहितम्: beneficial to beings
• भूतहितम्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भूतहित
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• अत्यन्तम्: exceedingly; entirely
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्यन्त

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• सत्यम्: truth
• सत्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• ब्रवीमि: I say; I speak
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू
• Form: Present, First, Singular, Parasmaipada

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अहम्
• Form: —, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Nārada

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Nārada distinguishes between merely speaking truth and truly knowing what ‘truth’ is. He frames truth in ethical terms: that is ‘truth’ which most fully promotes the welfare of all beings (bhūtahita).

What is happening in the narrative?

In the didactic setting of the Śānti Parva, Nārada is instructing on dharma and right conduct. Here he offers a criterion for ‘truth’ grounded in universal welfare, emphasizing the difficulty of genuine discernment (satyajñāna).