Shloka 112

नारद–शुक संवादः

Impermanence, Svabhāva, and Śuka’s Resolve for Yoga

Devanagari script

यदुपनिषदमुपाकरोत्‌ तथासौ जनकनृपस्य पुरा हि याज्ञवल्क्य: । यदुपगणितशाश्चताव्ययं त- च्छुभममृतत्वमशोकमर्च्छति

Transliteration

yad upaniṣadam upākarot tathāsau janaka-nṛpasya purā hi yājñavalkyaḥ | yad upagaṇitaśāśvatāvyayaṃ tac chubham amṛtatvam aśokam arcchati ||

Translation

Bhīṣma dit : «L’enseignement même des Upaniṣad que Yājñavalkya transmit jadis au roi Janaka : lorsqu’un homme le médite et l’assimile, il atteint cette Réalité éternelle et impérissable — auspicious, immortelle, et sans chagrin.»

Word by Word

• {'upaniṣad': 'esoteric teaching

• Upanishadic knowledge concerning the Self/Brahman', 'upākarot': 'taught

• imparted', 'tathā': 'thus

• in that manner', 'asau': 'that (person)

• he', 'janaka-nṛpa': 'King Janaka (ruler of Videha, exemplar of a knower-king)', 'purā': 'formerly

• in ancient times', 'hi': 'indeed

• certainly (emphatic particle)', 'yājñavalkyaḥ': 'Yājñavalkya (renowned Vedic sage and teacher)', 'upagaṇita': 'reckoned

• duly considered/pondered', 'śāśvata': 'eternal

• everlasting', 'avyaya': 'imperishable

• undecaying', 'tat': 'that (Reality/Brahman)', 'śubha': 'auspicious

• supremely good', 'amṛtatva': 'immortality

• deathlessness', 'aśoka': 'free from sorrow

• sorrowless', 'arcchati (ṛcchati)': 'attains

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Yajnavalkya
• King Janaka

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Contemplation and assimilation of the Upanishadic knowledge taught by Yājñavalkya to Janaka leads to realization of the eternal, imperishable Brahman—described as auspicious, deathless, and sorrowless—thereby culminating in liberation.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on peace and liberation, Bhīṣma cites an authoritative precedent: the ancient dialogue/teaching where sage Yājñavalkya instructed King Janaka. Bhīṣma uses it to affirm that true knowledge, when properly pondered, grants freedom from grief and the highest attainment.