Shloka 36

Vidyā–Avidyā and the Twenty-Fifth Principle

Sāṃkhya–Yoga Clarification

Devanagari script

मानिनां कुलजातानां नित्य शास्त्रार्थचक्षुषाम्‌ । क्रियाधर्मविमुक्तानामशक्‍्त्या संवृतात्मनाम्‌

Transliteration

mānināṁ kulajātānāṁ nityaśāstrārthacakṣuṣām | kriyādharmavimuktānām aśaktyā saṁvṛtātmanām ||

Translation

ພາຣາຊະຣະກ່າວວ່າ: «ແມ່ນແຕ່ການກະທຳທາງໂລກຂອງຜູ້ທີ່ມີກຽດສັກສີ ເກີດໃນຕະກູນດີ ແລະເຫັນອັດຖະຂອງຊາສະຕຣາເປັນນິດ—ຫຼືຂອງຜູ້ທີ່ເນື່ອງຈາກຄວາມບໍ່ສາມາດ ຖືກຕັດຂາດຈາກພິທີກຳແຫ່ງທຳ ແລະຈິດໃນຖືກປິດບັງ—ກໍລ້ວນແຕ່ຕ້ອງພັງທະລາຍໄປໃນທ້າຍທີ່ສຸດ. ຈາກນີ້ຈຶ່ງຮູ້ວ່າ ສຳລັບຄົນເຊັ່ນນັ້ນ ໃນໂລກນີ້ ບໍ່ມີກິດດີອັນແທ້ຈິງອື່ນໃດ ນອກຈາກຕະປະ (tapas) ເທົ່ານັ້ນ; ຕະປະເທົ່ານັ້ນທີ່ຊຳລະໃຫ້ບໍລິສຸດ ແລະເຮັດໃຫ້ອັດຕາກັບໃຈມັ່ນຄົງ ເມື່ອການກະທຳທົ່ວໄປບໍ່ອາດໃຫ້ຜົນອັນຍືນຍາວ».

Word by Word

• मानिनाम्: of the self-respecting / honored (persons)
• मानिनाम्: Sambandha
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मानिन्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• कुलजातानाम्: of those born in a noble family
• कुलजातानाम्: Sambandha
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कुल-जात
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य

• शास्त्रार्थचक्षुषाम्: of those whose 'eyes' are the meaning of the scriptures (i.e., who see through scriptural meaning)
• शास्त्रार्थचक्षुषाम्: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: शास्त्र-अर्थ-चक्षुस्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• क्रियाधर्मविमुक्तानाम्: of those freed from (or devoid of) ritual action and duty
• क्रियाधर्मविमुक्तानाम्: Sambandha
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रिया-धर्म-विमुक्त
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• अशक्त्या: by inability / due to incapacity
• अशक्त्या: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अ-शक्ति
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• संवृतात्मनाम्: of those whose self is covered/veiled (i.e., with obscured understanding)
• संवृतात्मनाम्: Sambandha
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संवृत-आत्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

Speaker

पराशर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Parāśara

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Worldly action (laukika karma) is unstable and can be rendered fruitless even for the respected and learned, and also for those unable to perform prescribed duties; therefore disciplined austerity (tapas) is presented as the reliable ‘good practice’ that purifies and supports inner realization when ordinary action cannot secure lasting good.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma and liberation-oriented conduct, the sage Parāśara addresses the limits of social status, learning, and ritual performance, arguing that when action is compromised—by circumstance, incapacity, or inner obscuration—tapas becomes the principal means of ethical and spiritual uplift.