Shloka 14

Śukasya Janma-yoga-phalaṁ — Vyāsasya Tapasā Putrārthaḥ (Śānti-parva 310)

Devanagari script

एते विशेषा राजेन्द्र महाभूतेषु पजचसु । बुद्धीन्द्रियाण्ययथैतानि सविशेषाणि मैथिल

Transliteration

ete viśeṣā rājendra mahābhūteṣu pañcasu | buddhīndriyāṇy athaitāni saviśeṣāṇi maithila ||

Translation

ຍາຊະນະວັນກະຍະ ກ່າວວ່າ: «ໂອ ພະຣາຊາ, ເຫຼົ່ານີ້ເອີ້ນວ່າ “ວິເສສະ” (viśeṣa—ຄວາມຈຳເພາະ) ຢູ່ໃນມະຫາພູຕະ 5. ແລະອິນທຣີຍະແຫ່ງປັນຍາ (buddhi-indriya) ເຫຼົ່ານີ້ເອີ້ນວ່າ “ສະ-ວິເສສະ” (sa-viśeṣa—ມີຄວາມຈຳເພາະ), ໂອ ກະສັດແຫ່ງມິຖິລາ. ປະເພດ “ວິເສສະ” ແລະ “ສະ-ວິເສສະ” ນີ້ມີຮາກຖານຢູ່ໃນມະຫາພູຕະ 5 ນັ້ນເອງ.»

Word by Word

• {'ete': 'these', 'viśeṣāḥ': 'particulars

• specific differentiating features (often linked with sense-objects/qualities)', 'rājendra': 'O best of kings', 'mahābhūteṣu': 'in the great elements (earth, water, fire, wind, space)', 'pañcasu': 'in the five', 'buddhīndriyāṇi': 'cognitive faculties / organs of knowledge (jñānendriyas) as instruments of apprehension', 'atha': 'and then

• moreover', 'etāni': 'these (same ones)', 'sa-viśeṣāṇi': 'endowed with particulars

• connected with specific differentiations', 'maithila': 'O king of Mithilā (Janaka)'}

Speaker

याज़्ञवल्क्य उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Yājñavalkya
• Janaka (king of Mithilā)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse classifies experiential differentiation: ‘viśeṣa’ (particulars) and ‘sa-viśeṣa’ (that which is connected with particulars, i.e., the knowing faculties) are said to be situated in and dependent upon the five great elements, emphasizing that sensory-cognitive experience is rooted in elemental constitution rather than in the pure Self.

What is happening in the narrative?

In a philosophical instruction to the king of Mithilā (Janaka), Yājñavalkya explains categories of reality related to the elements and the sense/cognitive faculties, continuing a teaching aimed at discrimination between the material constituents of experience and the higher principle sought for liberation.