Shloka 2
नारद–शुक संवादः
Impermanence, Svabhāva, and Śuka’s Resolve for Yoga
याज्ञवल्क्यजी कहते हैं--नरेश्वर! तुमने जो मुझसे अव्यक्तमें स्थित परब्रह्मके विषयमें प्रश्न किया है, वह अत्यन्त गूढ़ है। उसके विषयमें ध्यान देकर सुनो ।।
yājñavalkya uvāca— nareśvara! tvayā mayi avyakte sthite parabrahmaṇi viṣaye yaḥ praśnaḥ kṛtaḥ sa atyanta-gūḍhaḥ. tatra dhyātvā śṛṇu. yathā arṣeṇeha vidhinā caratā vanatena ca, mayā ādityād avāptāni yajāṃṣi, mithilādhipa.
Yājñavalkya berkata: “Wahai raja, pertanyaanmu tentang Brahman Tertinggi yang berdiam dalam Yang Tak-Termanifest sungguh amat mendalam. Dengarkan dengan pemusatan batin. Wahai penguasa Mithilā, akan kuceritakan bagaimana dahulu, dengan menjalani laku tapa sesuai tata cara para ṛṣi—menepati kaul dan menundukkan kepala dalam kerendahan hati—aku memperoleh mantra-mantra Yajus (Śukla-Yajurveda) dari Dewa Surya.”
याज़्ञवल्क्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
Profound knowledge of the Supreme (Parabrahman in the Unmanifest) is not casual information; it requires disciplined inquiry, inner reflection, and humility. The verse frames spiritual knowledge as something approached through dhyāna (focused attention) and earned through ṛṣi-approved practice (ārṣa-vidhi), not mere argument.
Yājñavalkya responds to the king of Mithilā, acknowledging the depth of the king’s metaphysical question. He then introduces a backstory: he will recount how he previously obtained the Yajus (Śukla-Yajurveda) mantras from the Sun-god by observing vows and following prescribed ascetic discipline with humility.