Shloka 64
Śuka’s Guṇa-Transcendence and Vyāsa’s Consolation (शुकगति-वर्णनम्)
अथवापि स्वतन्त्रासि स्वदोषेणेह कर्हिचित् । यदि किंचिच्छुतं ते5स्ति सर्व कृतमनर्थकम्
athavāpi svatantrāsi svadoṣeṇeha karhicit | yadi kiñcic chrutaṃ te 'sti sarvaṃ kṛtam anarthakam ||
ジャナカは言った。「たとえ汝が自ら選び得る自由の身であっても、ここにおいていつしか、己が過ちによって、汝が聖なる教えをわずかでも聞いたそのすべてを無益にしてしまった。自らの欠陥ゆえに生きられぬ知は、ただの空費に堕する。」
जनक उवाच
Educational Q&A
Scriptural hearing (śruti/śāstra-śravaṇa) becomes truly valuable only when it transforms conduct; if one’s own defects (svadoṣa)—such as pride, negligence, or lack of restraint—block practice, then even genuine learning is rendered futile.
King Janaka admonishes the listener, stressing personal accountability: even with freedom of choice, one can nullify the benefit of whatever sacred instruction one has heard by acting under one’s own faults, thereby making that learning ‘anarthaka’ (without fruitful purpose).