Shloka 37
Adhyāya 262: Śabda-brahman, Para-brahman, and the Ethics of Tyāga
Kapila–Syūmaraśmi Saṃvāda
जाजलिर्वाच न वै मुनीनां शृणुम: सम तत्त्वं पृच्छामि ते वाणिज कष्टमेतत् । पूर्वे पूर्वे चास्य नावेक्षमाणा नात: पर तमृषय: स्थापयन्ति
Jājaliḥ uvāca—na vai munīnāṁ śṛṇumaḥ sama-tattvaṁ pṛcchāmi te vāṇija kaṣṭam etat | pūrve pūrve cāsya nāvekṣamāṇā nātaḥ paraṁ tam ṛṣayaḥ sthāpayanti ||
ຈາຈະລິ ກ່າວວ່າ: «ໂອ ພໍ່ຄ້າ, ໃນຫມູ່ນັກບວດຜູ້ຮູ້ ຂ້ອຍບໍ່ເຄີຍໄດ້ຍິນຄໍາສອນເລື່ອງ ‘ສັດຈະທີ່ເທົ່າທຽມ’ ທີ່ເຈົ້າປະກາດ. ມັນເປັນເລື່ອງຍາກຈະເຂົ້າໃຈ. ນັກລຶກລັບໃນອະດີດບໍ່ໄດ້ພິຈາລະນາມັນຢ່າງໃກ້ຊິດ; ແລະແມ່ນແຕ່ຜູ້ທີ່ພິຈາລະນາແລ້ວ ຖ້າວ່າມັນດີເລີດ ກໍບໍ່ໄດ້ສ້າງຕັ້ງທຳນີ້ໃນໂລກ. ດັ່ງນັ້ນ ຂ້ອຍຂໍຖາມເຈົ້າ—ຈົ່ງອະທິບາຍໃຫ້ຂ້ອຍ»។
चुलाधार उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames a key ethical claim—Culādhāra’s ‘sama-tattva’ (impartial, equal regard) is presented as a high dharma that even many sages did not fully examine or successfully establish in society. Jājali’s response highlights that true dharma may be subtle, counter-traditional, and requires careful inquiry rather than mere reliance on precedent.
In the Jājali–Culādhāra dialogue of Śānti Parva, the ascetic Jājali admits he has not heard such a doctrine among sages and finds it difficult. He notes that ancient seers did not sufficiently reflect on it or institutionalize it, and therefore he directly asks the merchant Culādhāra to explain and clarify the teaching.