Shloka 13
Adhyāya 287 — Janaka’s Inquiry on Śreyas, Abhayadāna, and Asaṅga
Non-attachment
तेषां तेषां यथा हि त्वमाश्रमाणां ततस्ततः । नानारूपगुणोद्देशं पश्य विप्र स्थितं पृथक्
teṣāṃ teṣāṃ yathā hi tvam āśramāṇāṃ tatastataḥ | nānārūpaguṇoddeśaṃ paśya vipra sthitaṃ pṛthak ||
Wahai brāhmaṇa, ketika engkau menimbang tiap āśrama satu demi satu, perhatikanlah bagaimana ajaran dharma—yang memiliki beragam bentuk dan sifat—berdiri terpisah satu sama lain. Lihatlah landasan masing-masing dengan jelas dan pahamilah.
नारद उवाच
Educational Q&A
Dharma is taught with different emphases for different āśramas; one should discern each stage’s distinct duties and virtues rather than forcing a single uniform rule onto all.
Nārada addresses a brāhmaṇa interlocutor and instructs him to examine, one by one, the separate standing and character of the dharmas prescribed for the various āśramas.