Shloka 4
मनुरुवाच — इन्द्रिय-मनः-ज्ञान-क्रमः
Manu on the hierarchy of senses, mind, and knowledge
जप्यस्य च विधिं कृत्स्नं वक्तुमहसि मेडनघ । जापका इति किज्चैतत् सांख्ययोगक्रियाविधि:
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca | japyasya ca vidhiṁ kṛtsnaṁ vaktum arhasi medānagha | jāpaka iti kiṁ caitat sāṅkhyayogakriyāvidhiḥ, anagha! | avamānena kurute na prīyati na hṛṣyati | īdṛśo jāpako yāti nirayaṁ nātra saṁśayaḥ ||
Yudhiṣṭhira dijo: «Oh intachable, debes decirme por completo el procedimiento íntegro del japa. Y ¿qué significa, con precisión, el término “jāpaka”? ¿Es una observancia propia del Sāṅkhya, del Yoga (meditación) o de la disciplina ritual (kriyā)?» «Quien realiza el japa con desprecio—sin afecto reverente ni alegría—tal “jāpaka” va sin duda al infierno; de ello no hay duda.»
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse stresses that spiritual practice is judged not only by outward performance but by inner disposition: japa done with disrespect and without affectionate reverence is ethically blameworthy and leads to negative karmic results.
Yudhiṣṭhira questions a revered, ‘sinless’ teacher about the complete procedure of japa and the precise meaning of ‘jāpaka,’ asking whether it belongs to Sāṅkhya, Yoga, or ritual discipline; the passage also warns against contemptuous, joyless recitation.