Shloka 1

Śrī–Indra–Bali Saṃvāda: The Departure and Fourfold Placement of Lakṣmī

Devanagari script

# 53८5 (9) शीला $. इससे पूर्व पहले

Transliteration

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca | kena vṛttena vṛttajñaḥ janako mithilādhipaḥ | jagāma mokṣaṃ mokṣajño bhogān utsṛjya mānuṣān ||

Translation

युधिष्ठिर ने कहा— पितामह! सदाचार के ज्ञाता, मोक्षमार्ग के जानकार मिथिला-नरेश जनक ने मनुष्य-भोगों का त्याग करके किस प्रकार के आचरण से मोक्ष प्राप्त किया?

Word by Word

• युधिष्ठिरः: Yudhiṣṭhira
• युधिष्ठिरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: युधिष्ठिर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect, Third, Singular

• केन: by what (means/way)
• केन: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किम्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• वृत्तेन: by conduct/behavior
• वृत्तेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृत्त
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• वृत्तज्ञः: knower of right conduct
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वृत्तज्ञ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• जनकः: Janaka
• जनकः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: जनक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• मिथिलाधिपः: lord of Mithilā
• Type: Noun
• Root: मिथिलाधिप
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• जगाम: went/attained
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम्
• Form: Perfect, Third, Singular

• मोक्षम्: liberation
• मोक्षम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोक्ष
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• मोक्षज्ञः: knower of liberation
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मोक्षज्ञ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• भोगान्: enjoyments
• भोगान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भोग
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• उत्सृज्य: having abandoned
• Type: Verb
• Root: उत्-√सृज्
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage)

• मानुषान्: human (worldly)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मानुष
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

Speaker

युधिषछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Janaka
• Mithilā
• mokṣa

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Liberation is presented as attainable through a specific discipline of conduct (vṛtta) and inner renunciation: even a ruler like Janaka can reach mokṣa by relinquishing attachment to human pleasures while remaining grounded in dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

At the opening of this chapter in Śānti Parva’s mokṣa-dharma discussions, Yudhiṣṭhira asks how King Janaka of Mithilā—famed for wisdom—achieved liberation after giving up worldly enjoyments, setting up the ensuing instruction and exempla.