Shloka 2

Adhyāya 302: Guṇa-vicāra, Gati-bheda, and the Imperishable State

Yājñavalkya–Janaka

Devanagari script

अक्षरक्षरयोर्व्यक्ति पृच्छाम्यरिनिषूदन । उपलब्धं महाबाहो तत्त्वेन कुरुनन्दन,शत्रुसूदन! महाबाहु! कुरुनन्दन! क्षर और अक्षरके स्वरूपको स्पष्टरूपसे समझनेके लिये ही मैंने आपसे यह प्रश्न किया है

Transliteration

akṣarakṣarayor vyaktiṁ pṛcchāmy ari-niṣūdana | upalabdhaṁ mahābāho tattvena kuru-nandana ||

Translation

Yudhishthira said: “O slayer of foes, I ask you to make clear the distinction between the imperishable and the perishable. O mighty-armed delight of the Kurus, I have asked this so that the truth may be grasped as it really is.”

Word by Word

अक्षरक्षरयोःof the imperishable and the perishable

व्यक्तिम्clear manifestation/explicit understanding

पृच्छामिI ask

अरिनिषूदनO slayer of foes

उपलब्धम्attained/known

महाबाहोO mighty-armed one

तत्त्वेनin truth / according to reality

कुरुनन्दनO joy of the Kurus

Speaker

युधिछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

Yudhiṣṭhira

Bhīṣma

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames a philosophical inquiry central to dharma: to live rightly one must discern what is transient (kṣara) from what is unchanging (akṣara). Ethical steadiness is grounded in knowing the imperishable reality behind changing conditions.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva dialogue, Yudhiṣṭhira respectfully questions the elder teacher (Bhīṣma), requesting a precise explanation of the perishable and imperishable so that he may understand the truth in its essence and govern his life and rule accordingly.