Shloka 37

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

Devanagari script

सुखी सो5हमवाप्तार्थ: समलोष्टाश्मकाउ्चन: । मुक्तसड्: स्थितो राज्ये विशिष्टो<न्यैस्त्रिदण्डिभि:

Transliteration

Janaka uvāca: sukhī so ’ham avāptārthaḥ samaloṣṭāśmakāñcanaḥ | muktasaṅgaḥ sthito rājye viśiṣṭo ’nyais tridaṇḍibhiḥ ||

Translation

Janaka said: “I am content and fulfilled, having attained my purpose. To my vision, a clod of earth, a stone, and gold are all the same. Free from attachment, I remain established in kingship; therefore my standing is distinct from that of other ascetics who bear the triple staff.”

Word by Word

• {'sukhī': 'happy, at ease, inwardly content', 'aham': 'I', 'avāptārthaḥ': 'one who has attained the goal/purpose

• fulfilled', 'sama-': 'equal, same toward', 'loṣṭa': 'clod of earth, lump of soil', 'aśman': 'stone', 'kāñcana': 'gold', 'samaloṣṭāśmakāñcanaḥ': 'one to whom clod, stone, and gold are equal (i.e., free from valuation based on gain/loss)', 'mukta': 'freed, released', 'saṅga': 'attachment, clinging, association born of desire', 'muktasaṅgaḥ': 'free from attachment', 'sthitaḥ': 'standing, abiding, established', 'rājye': 'in the kingdom

• in kingship/royal station', 'viśiṣṭaḥ': 'distinct, exceptional, superior in a specific respect', 'anyaiḥ': 'by/than others', 'tridaṇḍibhiḥ': 'by those bearing the triple staff (a class of renunciants/ascetics)'}

Speaker

जनक उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Janaka
• rājya (kingship/kingdom)
• loṣṭa (clod of earth)
• aśman (stone)
• kāñcana (gold)
• tridaṇḍin (triple-staff ascetic)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

True renunciation is inner: equanimity toward clod, stone, and gold and freedom from attachment can coexist with worldly responsibility. Janaka claims that remaining unattached while ruling demonstrates a higher test of steadiness than external marks of asceticism.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva’s discourse on dharma and liberation, King Janaka speaks about his own spiritual state. He asserts that despite occupying the throne, he abides in detachment and equal vision, and thus considers his position distinct from that of other renunciants identified by the triple staff.