Shloka 10
जनक-राज्ञः मौण्ड्य-परिव्रज्या-विवादः
Janaka’s Renunciation Questioned; Discourse on Dāna and Detachment
देवतातिथिभिश्नैव पितृभिश्नैव पार्थिव । सर्वरेतै: परित्यक्त: परिव्रजसि निष्क्रिय:
devatātithibhiś caiva pitṛbhiś caiva pārthiva | sarvair etaiḥ parityaktaḥ parivrajasi niṣkriyaḥ ||
Arjuna dit : «Ô roi ! Ayant délaissé les dieux, les hôtes et les ancêtres—ayant, en vérité, rejeté toutes ces obligations—tu erres tel un renonçant, inactif. Comment un tel retrait pourrait-il être justifié, quand sont abandonnés les devoirs qui soutiennent l’ordre du dharma ?»
अजुन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames a dharmic critique of premature or irresponsible renunciation: abandoning obligations to gods (sacrifice), guests (hospitality), and ancestors (śrāddha/lineage duties) is portrayed as ethically problematic when it undermines the sustaining duties of social and ritual order.
Arjuna addresses a king and questions his renunciant conduct. He points out that the king appears to have forsaken key traditional responsibilities—toward devas, guests, and ancestors—and is now wandering as an inactive mendicant, prompting a discussion on the legitimacy and timing of renunciation versus duty.