Shloka 203

जनक–सुलभा संवादः

Janaka–Sulabhā Dialogue on Mokṣa and Non-attachment

Devanagari script

चतुर्विशमसारं च षड्विंशस्य प्रबोधनात्‌ । छब्बीसवाँ तत्त्व परमात्मा अजन्मा

Transliteration

caturviśam asāraṃ ca ṣaḍviṃśasya prabodhanāt |

Translation

ವಸಿಷ್ಠನು ಬೋಧಿಸುತ್ತಾನೆ—ಇಪ್ಪತ್ತಾರನೆಯ ತತ್ತ್ವದ ಜಾಗೃತಿ ಉಂಟಾದಾಗ, ಇಪ್ಪತ್ತನಾಲ್ಕು ತತ್ತ್ವಗಳಿಂದ ಕೂಡಿದ ಪ್ರಕೃತಿ ಅಸಾರವೆಂದು ತಿಳಿಯುತ್ತದೆ. ಇಪ್ಪತ್ತಾರನೆಯ ತತ್ತ್ವ ಪರಮಾತ್ಮ—ಅಜನ್ಮ, ಸರ್ವವ್ಯಾಪಿ, ಸಂಗದೋಷರಹಿತ. ಅವನ ಶರಣು ಪಡೆದು ಜೀವಾತ್ಮನು ಅವನ ಸ್ವರೂಪವನ್ನು ಸాక్షಾತ್ಕರಿಸಿದಾಗ, ಪರಮಾತ್ಮಜ್ಞಾನಪ್ರಭಾವದಿಂದ ತಾನೂ (ಅನುಭವದಲ್ಲಿ) ಸರ್ವವ್ಯಾಪಿಯಾಗುತ್ತಾನೆ; ಮತ್ತು ಇಪ್ಪತ್ತನಾಲ್ಕು ತತ್ತ್ವಯುಕ್ತ ಪ್ರಕೃತಿಯನ್ನು ಅಸಾರವೆಂದು ಕಂಡು ಅದರ ಮೇಲಿನ ಆಸಕ್ತಿಯನ್ನು ತ್ಯಜಿಸುತ್ತಾನೆ।

Word by Word

• चतुर्विंशम्: the twenty-four (principle)
• चतुर्विंशम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर्विंश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• असारम्: insubstantial, not the essence
• असारम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: असार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• षड्विंशस्य: of the twenty-sixth (principle)
• षड्विंशस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: षड्विंश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• प्रबोधनात्: from (the act of) awakening/realization
• प्रबोधनात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रबोधन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Ablative, Singular

Speaker

वसिष्ठ उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vasiṣṭha
• Paramātman
• Jīvātman
• Prakṛti
• twenty-four tattvas
• twenty-sixth tattva

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Realization of the twenty-sixth principle (Paramātman)—unborn, all-pervading, and free from the taint of association—dissolves the sense of limitation in the individual self. With the rise of supreme knowledge, one ceases to treat the twenty-four evolutes of Prakṛti as ultimately real or worthy of attachment, and thus turns toward liberation through dispassion and insight.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vasiṣṭha is instructing on metaphysical discernment: distinguishing Prakṛti’s twenty-four principles from the transcendent Supreme Self. The passage frames liberation as taking refuge in the Supreme, attaining direct realization, and thereby abandoning identification with the insubstantial constituents of nature.