Shloka 36

Utkramaṇa-sthāna and Ariṣṭa-lakṣaṇa: Yājñavalkya’s Instruction on Departure Pathways and Mortality Signs

Devanagari script

परस्परेणैतदुक्तं क्षराक्षरनिदर्शनम्‌ । एकत्वमक्षरं प्राहुननिात्व॑ क्षरमुच्यते

Transliteration

paraspareṇaitad uktaṁ kṣarākṣara-nidarśanam | ekatvam akṣaraṁ prāhur nānātvaṁ kṣaram ucyate ||

Translation

Dijo Vasiṣṭha: «Esta ilustración acerca de lo perecedero (kṣara) y lo imperecedero (akṣara) ha sido expuesta en relación mutua. Los sabios llaman “imperecedero” a lo que es uno e inmutable; y “perecedero” a lo que aparece como múltiple y diversificado».

Word by Word

• परस्परेण: mutually / by one another
• परस्परेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: परस्पर
• Form: n, Instrumental, Singular

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: n, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• उक्तम्: said / spoken
• उक्तम्: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), n, Nominative, Singular

• क्षर-अक्षर-निदर्शनम्: an exposition/illustration of the perishable and imperishable
• क्षर-अक्षर-निदर्शनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: निदर्शन
• Form: n, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• एकत्वम्: oneness
• एकत्वम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: एकत्व
• Form: n, Accusative, Singular

• अक्षरम्: imperishable
• अक्षरम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अक्षर
• Form: n, Accusative, Singular

• प्राहुः: they say / they have declared
• प्राहुः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र+अह्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada

• नानात्वम्: multiplicity / diversity
• नानात्वम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: नानात्व
• Form: n, Accusative, Singular

• क्षरम्: perishable
• क्षरम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षर
• Form: n, Accusative, Singular

• उच्यते: is called / is said
• उच्यते: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Present (Laṭ), 3rd, Singular, Passive (Karmani)

Speaker

वसिष्ठ उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vasiṣṭha

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse distinguishes two levels of reality: the imperishable (akṣara), characterized by oneness and unchanging nature, and the perishable (kṣara), characterized by plurality and change. Ethical and spiritual clarity comes from recognizing the stable ground of the Self/ultimate principle amid the shifting world of appearances.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva’s instructional setting, Vasiṣṭha continues a philosophical exposition, explaining to his listener(s) how to understand the difference between the imperishable principle and the perishable phenomenal manifestation, using a concise definitional contrast: unity versus multiplicity.