Shloka 18
Śuka–Janaka Saṃvāda: Āśrama-krama, Jñāna-vijñāna, and the Marks of Liberation (शुक-जनक संवादः)
अकार्पण्यमसंरम्भ: क्षमा धृतिरहिंसता । समता सत्यमानृण्यं मार्दवं हवीरचापलम्,धैर्य, आनन्द, प्रीति, उत्कर्ष, प्रकाश (ज्ञानशक्ति), सुख, शुद्धि, आरोग्य, संतोष, श्रद्धा, अकार्पण्य (दीनताका अभाव), असंरम्भ (क्रोधका अभाव), क्षमा, धृति, अहिंसा, समता, सत्य, ऋणसे रहित होना, मृदुता, लज्जा, अचंचलता, शौच, सरलता, सदाचार, अलोलुपता, हृदयमें सम्भ्रमका न होना, इष्ट और अनिष्टके वियोगका बखान न करना, दानके द्वारा धैर्य धारण करना, किसी वस्तुकी इच्छा न करना, परोपकार और सम्पूर्ण प्राणियोंपर दया--ये सब सत्त्वसम्बन्धी गुण बताये गये हैं
Yājñavalkya uvāca: akāṛpaṇyam asaṃrambhaḥ kṣamā dhṛtir ahiṃsatā | samatā satyam ānṛṇyaṃ mārdavaṃ hrīr acāpalam ||
Yājñavalkya said: “Freedom from meanness, absence of wrathful agitation, forbearance, steadfastness, and non-violence; equanimity, truthfulness, freedom from debt (owing nothing), gentleness, modesty, and unwavering steadiness—these are declared to be virtues born of sattva.”
याज़्वल्क्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse lists sattva-born virtues: inner generosity and courage (akāṛpaṇya), freedom from anger (asaṃrambha), patience (kṣamā), steadfastness (dhṛti), non-violence (ahiṃsā), equanimity (samatā), truthfulness (satyam), freedom from burdensome obligations (ānṛṇya), gentleness (mārdava), modest restraint (hrī), and steady, non-restless conduct (acāpalam). Together they describe a calm, ethical character fit for dharma.
Within the Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma and inner discipline, Yājñavalkya speaks as a teacher enumerating the marks of a sattvic disposition—qualities that stabilize conduct and purify intention, contrasting with agitation and harm.