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Shloka 10

Ātma-saṃyama-dharma: One-pointedness of Mind and Senses (शुक–व्यास संवादः)

शुक उवाच यदिदं वेदवचनं लोकवादे विरुध्यते । प्रमाणे वाप्रमाणे च विरुद्धे शास्त्रता कुत:

śuka uvāca yad idaṃ vedavacanaṃ lokavāde virudhyate | pramāṇe vāpramāṇe ca viruddhe śāstratā kutaḥ ||

シュカは言った。「父上、このヴェーダの教えは、世の常の理に照らして量ると、互いに矛盾しているように見えます。すなわち『行為せよ』と『行為を捨てよ』という二様の言葉です。これらは権威ある証(プラマーナ)なのでしょうか、それともそうではないのでしょうか。もし権威あるものなら、相互に विरोधするのに、いかにしてシャーストラの言葉として受け入れられるのでしょう。どうして両方が同時に正しいと言えるのでしょうか。私はこれを明らかに聞きたい—さらに、行為をめぐる対立に陥ることなく、いかにして解脱が得られるのかもお教えください。」

शुकःŚuka
शुकः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootशुक
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
उवाचsaid
उवाच:
TypeVerb
Rootवच्
FormPerfect, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada
यत्that which
यत्:
TypePronoun
Rootयद्
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
इदम्this
इदम्:
TypePronoun
Rootइदम्
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
वेद-वचनम्Vedic statement
वेद-वचनम्:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootवेदवचन
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
लोक-वादेin common talk / popular discourse
लोक-वादे:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootलोकवाद
FormMasculine, Locative, Singular
विरुध्यतेis contradicted / conflicts
विरुध्यते:
TypeVerb
Rootरुध्
FormPresent, Third, Singular, Atmanepada, Passive
प्रमाणेin (the status of) being authoritative
प्रमाणे:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootप्रमाण
FormNeuter, Locative, Singular
वाor
वा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवा
अप्रमाणेin (the status of) being non-authoritative
अप्रमाणे:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootअप्रमाण
FormNeuter, Locative, Singular
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
विरुद्धेwhen (they are) mutually contradictory
विरुद्धे:
Adhikarana
TypeAdjective
Rootविरुद्ध
FormNeuter, Locative, Singular
शास्त्रताscriptural authority / being scripture
शास्त्रता:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootशास्त्रता
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular
कुतःwhence? how (is it possible)?
कुतः:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootकुतस्

शुक उवाच

Ś
Śuka (Śukadeva)

Educational Q&A

The verse frames a classic hermeneutic problem: the Veda appears to teach both engagement in action (pravṛtti) and withdrawal/renunciation (nivṛtti). Śuka asks how both can be authoritative despite seeming contradiction, and how liberation can be achieved without rejecting action in a way that conflicts with dharma.

Śuka, in dialogue with his father (traditionally Vyāsa), raises a philosophical doubt about the Veda’s mixed injunctions. He requests a resolution: whether the statements are pramāṇa, how they can be śāstra if mutually opposed, and the practical path to mokṣa that does not create a quarrel with the domain of karma.