Shloka 24

Devanagari script

पितृभक्तो दृढतपा: पितु: सुदयित: सुतः । अनन्यमनसा तेन कथं पित्रा विसर्जित:,“यह बड़ा ही तपस्वी और पितृभक्त था और अपने पिताका बहुत ही प्यारा बेटा था। उनका मन सदा इसीमें लगा रहता था; फिर भी उन्होंने इसे जानेकी आज्ञा कैसे दे दी?”

Transliteration

pitṛbhakto dṛḍhatapāḥ pituḥ sudayitaḥ sutaḥ | ananyamanasā tena kathaṁ pitrā visarjitaḥ ||

Translation

Śuka said: “He was steadfast in austerity and devoted to his father, and he was a son exceedingly dear to him. His mind was fixed on him alone; even so, how could the father have given him leave to depart?”

Word by Word

पितृभक्तःdevoted to (his) father

दृढतपाःof firm/steadfast austerity

पितुःof (his) father

सुदयितःvery dear

सुतःson

अनन्यमनसाwith an undistracted mind; single-mindedly

तेनby him / with him

कथम्how?

पित्राby the father

विसर्जितःdismissed / sent away / permitted to depart

Speaker

शुक उवाच

Characters & Entities

श

शुक (Śuka)

प

पिता (the father)

स

सुत (the son)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

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 highlights a moral tension central to dharma: even when love and attachment are strong (a beloved, dutiful son), a higher duty or spiritual necessity may require letting go. It invites reflection on when permission, release, or renunciation is ethically appropriate despite personal affection.

What is happening in the narrative?

Śuka questions an apparent contradiction in the story: the son is described as intensely devoted, austere, and dearly loved, with an undivided mind—yet the father still allows him to leave. The line functions as a prompt for the next explanation of the circumstances and principles that justified the father’s decision.