Shloka 64
Śuka’s Guṇa-Transcendence and Vyāsa’s Consolation (शुकगति-वर्णनम्)
अथवापि स्वतन्त्रासि स्वदोषेणेह कर्हिचित् । यदि किंचिच्छुतं ते5स्ति सर्व कृतमनर्थकम्,अथवा यदि आप स्वतन्त्र हैं तो कभी आपके द्वारा यदि कुछ शास्त्रका श्रवण किया गया हो तो आपने अपने ही दोषसे वह सब व्यर्थ कर दिया है
athavāpi svatantrāsi svadoṣeṇeha karhicit | yadi kiñcic chrutaṃ te 'sti sarvaṃ kṛtam anarthakam ||
ಅಥವಾ ನೀನು ಸ್ವತಂತ್ರಳಾಗಿದ್ದರೂ, ಇಲ್ಲಿ ಯಾವುದೋ ಸಮಯದಲ್ಲಿ ನಿನ್ನದೇ ದೋಷದಿಂದ, ನೀನು ಕೇಳಿದ ಶಾಸ್ತ್ರೋಪದೇಶದ ಅಲ್ಪಮಾತ್ರವೂ ಸಂಪೂರ್ಣ ವ್ಯರ್ಥವಾಗಿದೆ.
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).