Shloka 2636

नारद–शुक संवादः

Impermanence, Svabhāva, and Śuka’s Resolve for Yoga

Devanagari script

विश्वावसुस्ततो राजन्‌ वेदान्तज्ञानकोविद: । राजन्‌! एक समय वेदान्तज्ञानमें कुशल विश्वावसु नामक गन्धर्व मेरे पास आया एवं इस बातका विचार करते हुए कि यहाँ ब्राह्मण-जातिके लिये हितकर क्‍या है? सत्य और सर्वोत्तम ज्ञातव्य वस्तु क्या है? मुझसे पूछने लगा

Transliteration

Viśvāvasus tato rājan vedāntajñānakovidaḥ | rājan! eka samaye vedāntajñāne kuśalaḥ Viśvāvasu-nāmā gandharvaḥ mama pāśam āgāt, etad vicārayan—iha brāhmaṇa-jāteḥ hitakaraṃ kiṃ syāt? satyaṃ ca sarvottamaṃ jñātavya-vastu kiṃ?—iti mām apṛcchat.

Translation

ヤージュニャヴァルキヤは言った。「それから、王よ、ヴェーダーンタの智に通暁したヴィシュヴァーヴァス（Viśvāvasu）というガンダルヴァが、わたしのもとへ来た。ある時、彼は『ブラーフマナの共同体に真に益するものは何か。真実にして最高の知るべき対象とは何か』と熟考し、わたしに近づいてそのことを問いただした。」

Word by Word

• विश्वावसुः: Viśvāvasu (a Gandharva)
• विश्वावसुः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्वावसु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ततः: then; thereafter
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• राजन्: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• वेदान्त-ज्ञान-कोविदः: skilled in Vedānta-knowledge
• वेदान्त-ज्ञान-कोविदः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कोविद
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

याज़्ञवल्क्य उवाच

Characters & Entities

• याज्ञवल्क्य (Yājñavalkya)
• विश्वावसु (Viśvāvasu)
• गन्धर्व (Gandharva)
• राजन् (the King, addressee)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames the ethical-intellectual problem that will guide the teaching: discerning what truly benefits the Brahmin community and identifying the real, supreme object of knowledge (satya and the highest jñātavya). It establishes Vedāntic inquiry as a dharmic pursuit aimed at welfare and ultimate truth.

What is happening in the narrative?

Yājñavalkya recounts to the King that a Gandharva named Viśvāvasu, renowned for Vedānta-knowledge, once came to him. After reflecting on communal welfare and ultimate truth, Viśvāvasu approaches Yājñavalkya and asks him these questions, initiating a doctrinal conversation.