Shloka 27

Śuka’s Guṇa-Transcendence and Vyāsa’s Consolation (शुकगति-वर्णनम्)

Devanagari script

तेनाहं सांख्यमुख्येन सुदृष्टार्थेन तत्त्वतः । श्रावितस्त्रिविधं मोक्ष न च राज्याद्धि चालित:

Transliteration

tenāhaṃ sāṅkhyamukhyena sudṛṣṭārthena tattvataḥ | śrāvitas trividhaṃ mokṣaṃ na ca rājyād dhi cālitaḥ ||

Translation

Thus I was instructed, in accordance with reality, by a foremost master of Sāṅkhya whose insight into the meaning of things was clear and direct. From him I heard the threefold discipline leading to liberation; yet he did not urge me to abandon my kingship. The teaching affirms that inner freedom and right knowledge can be pursued without fleeing one’s rightful duties.

Word by Word

• {'tena': 'by him

• by that (instrumental of tad)', 'aham': 'I', 'sāṅkhya-mukhyena': 'by a foremost authority in Sāṅkhya (analysis/knowledge tradition)', 'su-dṛṣṭa-arthena': 'by one who has well-seen/clearly understood the meaning (artha)', 'tattvataḥ': 'in truth

• essentially', 'śrāvitaḥ': 'caused to hear

• taught (passive of śrāvayati)', 'trividham': 'threefold', 'mokṣam (mokṣa-dharmam implied)': 'liberation

• the path/discipline of release', 'na ca': 'and not', 'rājyāt': 'from the kingdom

• from kingship', 'hi': 'indeed

• for', 'cālitaḥ': 'moved away

Speaker

जनक उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Janaka
• a foremost Sāṅkhya teacher (unnamed)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Liberation is compatible with responsible worldly station: a king can pursue mokṣa through true knowledge and inner detachment without necessarily abandoning the kingdom, provided dharma is upheld.

What is happening in the narrative?

King Janaka reports that he received instruction from a leading Sāṅkhya knower, learned the threefold teaching on liberation, and emphasizes that the teacher did not compel him to renounce rulership.