Shloka 41

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

Devanagari script

यमे च नियमे चैव कामे द्वेषे परिग्रहे । माने दम्भे तथा स्नेहे सदृशास्ते कुटुम्बिभि:

Transliteration

Janaka uvāca: yame ca niyame caiva kāme dveṣe parigrahe | māne dambhe tathā snehe sadṛśās te kuṭumbibhiḥ ||

Translation

Janaka said: “In matters of moral restraints and observances (yama and niyama), and likewise in desire, aversion, possessiveness, pride, hypocrisy, and attachment—renunciants are, in these respects, no different from householders. For by practicing yama and niyama even a householder may attain liberation; but if desire and hatred persist, even a renunciant can be deprived of freedom.”

Word by Word

• यमे: in restraint (yama)
• यमे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: यम
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• नियमे: in observance (niyama)
• नियमे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: नियम
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• एव: indeed/just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• कामे: in desire
• कामे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• द्वेषे: in hatred/aversion
• द्वेषे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वेष
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• परिग्रहे: in possession/appropriation
• परिग्रहे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: परिग्रह
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• माने: in pride/self-regard
• माने: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मान
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• दम्भे: in hypocrisy/ostentation
• दम्भे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: दम्भ
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• तथा: likewise/also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• स्नेहे: in affection/attachment
• स्नेहे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नेह
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• सदृशाः: similar/equal
• सदृशाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सदृश
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• ते: they/those
• ते: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• कुटुम्बिभिः: with householders/family-men
• कुटुम्बिभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुटुम्बिन्
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

Speaker

जनक उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Janaka

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

External status (renunciant or householder) does not guarantee liberation; inner discipline and freedom from desire, hatred, possessiveness, pride, hypocrisy, and attachment are decisive. A householder practicing yama-niyama can attain moksha, while a renunciant with unresolved passions may fail.

What is happening in the narrative?

Janaka is speaking in a didactic context within the Śānti Parva, emphasizing that spiritual success depends on inner qualities and conduct rather than the mere adoption of the renunciate life.