Mahabharata — Ashvamedhika Parva, Shloka 38

Arjuna’s request to Krishna and the opening of the Kāśyapa–Brāhmaṇa mokṣa discourse (Āśvamedhika-parva 16)

Devanagari script

ततः कदाचितन्निवेदान्निराकाराश्रितेन च । लोकतत्त्र॑ परित्यक्तं दुःखार्तेन भृशं॑ मया

Transliteration

tataḥ kadācit tannivedān nirākārāśritena ca | lokatattvaṃ parityaktaṃ duḥkhārtena bhṛśaṃ mayā ||

Translation

इस प्रकार बार-बार क्लेश सहते-सहते एक दिन मेरे हृदय में गहरा वैराग्य जाग उठा। दुःख से व्याकुल होकर मैंने निराकार परमात्मा की शरण ली और समस्त लोक-व्यवहार का परित्याग कर दिया।

Word by Word

• ततः: then/thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततस्

• कदाचित्: once/sometime
• कदाचित्: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कदाचित्

• अनिवेदात्: from dissatisfaction/discontent
• अनिवेदात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनिवेद
• Form: Masculine, Ablative, Singular

• निराकार-आश्रितेन: by/with one who has taken refuge in the formless (Lord)
• निराकार-आश्रितेन: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निराकाराश्रित
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• लोक-तत्त्वम्: worldly conduct/affairs (the principle of worldly dealings)
• लोक-तत्त्वम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोकतत्त्व
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• परित्यक्तम्: abandoned/renounced
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-त्यज्
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• दुःख-आर्तेन: by one afflicted with sorrow
• दुःख-आर्तेन: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुःखार्त
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• भृशम्: greatly/excessively
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भृशम्

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Instrumental, Singular

Speaker

सिद्ध उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Siddha (speaker)
• nirākāra paramātman (formless Supreme Self)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Repeated suffering can awaken dispassion (vairāgya), leading one to seek refuge in the formless Supreme and to renounce worldly entanglements; the verse frames renunciation as an ethical-spiritual response to the recognition of the limits of worldly life.

What is happening in the narrative?

The Siddha recounts a turning point: after enduring many hardships, he becomes deeply remorseful and distressed, takes shelter in the formless परमात्मा, and abandons ordinary social/worldly transactions (loka-vyavahāra).