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Shloka 3

Ātma-saṃyama-dharma: One-pointedness of Mind and Senses (शुक–व्यास संवादः)

वेदे वचनमुक्तं तु कुरु कर्म त्यजेति च । कथमेतद्‌ विजानीयां तच्च व्याख्यातुमरहसि,वेदमें “कर्म करो” और “कर्म छोड़ो'--ये दोनों बातें कही गयी हैं। मैं इनका तात्पर्य कैसे समझूँ? जिससे इनका विरोध हट जाय। आप इस विषयकी व्याख्या करें

vede vacanam uktaṃ tu kuru karma tyajeti ca | katham etad vijānīyāṃ tac ca vyākhyātum arhasi ||

വേദത്തിൽ ‘കർമ്മം ചെയ്യുക’ എന്നും ‘കർമ്മം ത്യജിക്കുക’ എന്നും—ഇരുവിധ ഉപദേശങ്ങളും പറയുന്നു. ഇതിന്റെ താത്പര്യം ഞാൻ എങ്ങനെ ഗ്രഹിക്കണം, വിരോധം നീങ്ങുവാൻ? ദയവായി ഇതു വ്യാഖ്യാനിക്കണമേ।

वेदेin the Veda
वेदे:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootवेद
FormMasculine, Locative, Singular
वचनम्a statement/utterance
वचनम्:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootवचन
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
उक्तम्said/uttered
उक्तम्:
TypeVerb
Rootवच्
Formक्त (past passive participle), Neuter, Nominative, Singular
तुbut/indeed
तु:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतु
कुरुdo (you)
कुरु:
TypeVerb
Rootकृ
Formलोट् (imperative), Second, Singular, Parasmaipada
कर्मaction/duty/ritual act
कर्म:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootकर्मन्
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
त्यजabandon (you)
त्यज:
TypeVerb
Rootत्यज्
Formलोट् (imperative), Second, Singular, Parasmaipada
इतिthus (quotative)
इति:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइति
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
कथम्how?
कथम्:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootकथम्
एतत्this (matter)
एतत्:
Karma
TypePronoun
Rootएतद्
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
विजानीयाम्may I understand/know clearly
विजानीयाम्:
TypeVerb
Rootज्ञा
Formविधिलिङ् (optative), First, Singular, Parasmaipada, वि
तत्that (matter)
तत्:
Karma
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
व्याख्यातुम्to explain
व्याख्यातुम्:
TypeVerb
Rootव्याख्या
Formतुमुन् (infinitive)
अरहसिyou are able/you ought
अरहसि:
TypeVerb
Rootअर्ह्
Formलट् (present), Second, Singular, Parasmaipada

शुक उवाच

Ś
Śuka
V
Veda

Educational Q&A

The verse frames a classic interpretive problem: the Veda appears to command both engagement in duty (karma) and renunciation (tyāga). Śuka asks for a principled explanation that reconciles these teachings rather than treating them as mutually exclusive.

Śuka, as the speaker, poses a doctrinal question to a teacher/elder in the Śānti Parva discourse setting, requesting clarification on how to understand seemingly opposing Vedic directives about action and renunciation.