Shloka 53
Śuka’s Guṇa-Transcendence and Vyāsa’s Consolation (शुकगति-वर्णनम्)
सो5हमेवंगतो मुक्तो जातास्थस्त्वयि भिक्षुकि । अयशथार्थ हि ते वर्ण वक्ष्यामि शूणु तन्मम
so’ham evaṁgato mukto jātāsthastvayi bhikṣuki | ayathārthaṁ hi te varṇaṁ vakṣyāmi śṛṇu tanmama saṁnyāsinī ||
ジャナカは言った。「かくのごとく私は解脱している。だが、乞食行の尼僧よ、汝のヨーガの力を見て、汝への堅い敬意が我が内に生じた。されど、汝のこの姿と美しさは、真に出離の修行にふさわしいとは思わぬ。ゆえに、我が正しいと思うところを語ろう——聞け、サンニャーシニーよ。」
जनक उवाच
Educational Q&A
Janaka distinguishes inner liberation and respect for spiritual attainment from uncritical approval of outward appearance. He suggests that renunciation requires congruence between one’s external mode of life and the discipline of detachment, and he insists on speaking what he considers truthful and ethically appropriate.
King Janaka addresses a female mendicant/renunciant. Though impressed by her yogic influence and feeling reverence toward her, he questions whether her outward form and beauty align with the ideals of saṁnyāsa, and he prepares to explain his view to her.