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Shloka 6

Adhyaya 4Jaimini Meets the Dharmapakshis: Four Doubts on the Mahabharata and the Opening of Narayana Doctrine

बन्धुवर्गस्तथा मित्रं यच्चेष्टमपरं गृहे ।

त्यक्त्वा गच्छति तत्सर्वं न जहाति सरस्वती ॥

bandhuvargas tathā mitraṃ yac ceṣṭam aparaṃ gṛhe | tyaktvā gacchati tat sarvaṃ na jahāti sarasvatī ||

સગાસંબંધીઓનો વર્તુળ, મિત્રો અને ઘરમાં જે કંઈ પ્રિય હોય—તે બધું છોડીને મનુષ્ય ચાલ્યો જાય છે; પરંતુ સરસ્વતી (વિદ્યા/સત્યજ્ઞાન) મનુષ્યને છોડતી નથી।

bandhu-vargaḥthe circle of relatives
bandhu-vargaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootbandhu (प्रातिपदिक) + varga (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (masculine, nominative singular; 'group of relatives')
tathāalso
tathā:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Roottathā (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय (adverb: 'likewise/also')
mitrama friend
mitram:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootmitra (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन (neuter, nominative singular)
yatwhatever
yat:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootyad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; सम्बन्धबोधक-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun; neuter nom./acc. sg.)
ceṣṭamwhat is dear/desired
ceṣṭam:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootceṣṭa (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; इष्टार्थक-नाम (neuter, nominative singular; 'what is desired/liked')
aparamother (things)
aparam:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootapara (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; विशेषणम् (neuter, nominative singular; 'other')
gṛhein the house/home
gṛhe:
Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootgṛha (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी एकवचन (neuter, locative singular)
tyaktvāhaving left behind
tyaktvā:
Purvakala (पूर्वकाल)
TypeVerb
Root√tyaj (धातु)
Formक्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive): 'having abandoned'
gacchatigoes
gacchati:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√gam (धातु)
Formलट्-लकार, परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (present indicative, 3rd sg.)
tatthat
tat:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Roottad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; सर्वनाम (neuter nom./acc. sg.)
sarvamall (of it)
sarvam:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootsarva (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; विशेषणम् (neuter nom./acc. sg.; 'all')
nanot
na:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootna (अव्यय)
Formनिषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)
jahātiabandons
jahāti:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√hā (धातु)
Formलट्-लकार, परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (present indicative, 3rd sg.)
sarasvatīSarasvatī
sarasvatī:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootsarasvatī (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन (feminine, nominative singular)
Uncertain from the single-verse excerpt; positioned within the Markandeya Purana’s didactic dialogue framework rather than the Devi Māhātmya narrative proper
Sarasvatī
Sarasvatī as the śakti of speech/knowledge (Vāk-śakti); not the martial Devi Māhātmya forms in this verse
DharmaEthicsVidyā (learning)Detachment (vairāgya)Householder life (gṛhastha) and impermanence

FAQs

The verse contrasts perishable supports—family, friends, and household comforts—with imperishable wealth: vidyā. At death or separation, social ties and possessions are left behind, but cultivated knowledge (especially dharmic understanding and refined speech) remains one’s enduring companion and capital.

This verse is primarily didactic (ācāra/dharma-upadeśa) rather than a direct statement of the pañcalakṣaṇa topics (sarga, pratisarga, vaṃśa, manvantara, vaṃśānucarita). It belongs to the Purana’s ethical instruction layer that accompanies (but is distinct from) genealogical/cosmological narration.

Sarasvatī here symbolizes Vāk and Jñāna-śakti: the inner continuity of consciousness refined into articulate wisdom. Externally, relationships and domestic identity are contingent; internally, the ‘goddess of speech/knowledge’ signifies the subtle samskāra of learning that accompanies the jīva—hence knowledge is portrayed as the non-abandoning śakti.