Shloka 11
Aśoka-śāstra: Nārada’s Instruction on the Cessation of Śoka
Grief
आत्मच्छायाकृती भूतं ते5पि संवत्सरायुष: । पृथ्वीनाथ! जो लोग दूसरेके नेत्रोंमें अपनी परछाईं न देख सकें, उनकी आयु भी एक ही वर्षतक शेष समझनी चाहिये ।। १० $ ।। अतिथद्युतिरतिप्रज्ञा अप्रज्ञा चाद्युतिस्तथा
ātmacchāyākṛtī bhūtaṁ te ’pi saṁvatsarāyuṣaḥ | pṛthvīnātha! ye lokāḥ pareṣāṁ netreṣu svacchāyāṁ na paśyanti, teṣām āyur api kevalaṁ varṣamātraśeṣaṁ mantavyam ||
ຍາຊະນະວັນກະຍະ ກ່າວວ່າ: «ໂອ ພະອົງເຈົ້າແຫ່ງແຜ່ນດິນ! ສັດທັງຫຼາຍຜູ້ໃດທີ່ບໍ່ເຫັນເງົາສະທ້ອນຂອງຕົນໃນດວງຕາຂອງຜູ້ອື່ນ ຄວນເຂົ້າໃຈວ່າອາຍຸຍັງເຫຼືອພຽງໜຶ່ງປີ»។ ຄໍານີ້ເປັນລາງບອກທາງທຳ-ກາຍ: ເມື່ອ “ຕົນຕົວ” ບໍ່ປາກົດໃນການພົບປະກັບຜູ້ອື່ນ ຖືກເຫັນເປັນໝາຍວ່າຊີວິດໃກ້ສິ້ນ ແລະຄວນມີສະຕິ ສຳລວມ ແລະເຮັດທຳໃຫ້ທັນເວລາ។
याज्ञवल्क्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse presents an omen: if a person’s reflection is not perceived in another’s eyes, it signals that death is near (about a year remaining). Ethically, it urges urgency in right conduct—settling duties, practicing restraint, and turning toward dharma before time runs out.
In Śānti Parva’s didactic setting, the sage Yājñavalkya addresses a king (“lord of the earth”) and teaches diagnostic signs connected with life and death. This line is one such sign, framed as counsel for a ruler to understand human frailty and govern with awareness of impermanence.