Shloka 23

Adhyaya 37 — Cycle of Rebirth

Sanskrit

सङ्गः सर्वात्मना त्याज्यः स चेत् त्यक्तुं न शक्यते ।

स सद्भिः सह कर्तव्यः सतां सङ्गो हि भेषजम् ॥

Transliteration

saṅgaḥ sarvātmanā tyājyaḥ sa cet tyaktuṃ na śakyate /

sa sadbhiḥ saha kartavyaḥ satāṃ saṅgo hi bheṣajam //

Translation

ലൗകികസംഗം പൂർണ്ണമായി ഉപേക്ഷിക്കണം. ഉപേക്ഷിക്കാൻ കഴിയില്ലെങ്കിൽ സത്സംഗം ആശ്രയിക്കണം; സജ്ജനസംഗം തന്നെയാണ് യഥാർത്ഥ ഔഷധം.

Word by Word

• सङ्गः: attachment, association
• सङ्गः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन

• सर्वात्मना: entirely, with one’s whole being
• सर्वात्मना: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्व-आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक; अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोगेण तृतीया)
• Form: अव्ययभावः; तृतीया-एकवचन-रूपेण ‘सर्वथा/पूर्णतया’ (instrumental used adverbially)

• त्याज्यः: to be abandoned
• त्याज्यः: Vidheyaviśeṣaṇa (विधेयविशेषण/Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्यज् (धातु) + यत् (कृत्)
• Form: यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृत्य-प्रत्यय (gerundive/obligatory), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण

• सः: that (attachment)
• सः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• चेत्: if
• चेत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चेत् (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्बन्धबोधक-अव्यय; शर्तार्थक (conditional particle ‘if’)

• त्यक्तुम्: to abandon
• त्यक्तुम्: Karma (कर्म/Object of ability)
• Type: Verb
• Root: त्यज् (धातु) + तुमुन् (कृत्)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive), क्रियार्थक; ‘त्यक्तुं’ = to abandon

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध/Negator)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation)

• शक्यते: is possible
• शक्यते: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शक् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive)

• सः: that (attachment)
• सः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• सद्भिः: with the good (virtuous people)
• सद्भिः: Sahakāraka (सहकारक/Associate)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन; ‘सद्’ = good people

• सह: together with
• सह: Sahārtha (सहार्थ/With)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: सह-अव्यय (preposition-like indeclinable)

• कर्तव्यः: should be done/made
• कर्तव्यः: Vidheyaviśeṣaṇa (विधेयविशेषण/Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) + तव्यत् (कृत्)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृत्य (gerundive/ought to be done), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण

• सताम्: of the good
• सताम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), बहुवचन

• सङ्गः: association
• सङ्गः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• हि: indeed, for
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic/causal particle)

• भेषजम्: medicine, remedy
• भेषजम्: Vidheyapada (विधेयपद/Predicate complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भेषज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन; अत्र विधेय-नाम (predicate noun)

Speakers

• Narrative voice (didactic instruction within the chapter’s dialogue context)

Verse Rasa

{ "primaryRasa": "shanta", "secondaryRasa": "bhakti", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Satsanga
• Vairagya (detachment)
• Moksha-oriented ethics

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse frames social influence as a primary lever in spiritual life: if one cannot fully withdraw from worldly ties, one should deliberately choose ennobling company, because virtue is contagious and heals the mind’s afflictions.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

This passage is primarily Dharmānushāsana (ethical instruction) rather than a direct Pancalakṣaṇa unit; it is ancillary teaching within the Purāṇic discourse, not sarga/pratisarga/manvantara/vaṃśa/vaṃśānucarita proper.

What is the esoteric significance?

‘Saṅga’ also implies subtle identification (ahaṅkāra-based alignment). Choosing ‘sat-saṅga’ is presented as a therapeutic reorientation of consciousness toward sattva, which becomes the inner ‘medicine’ leading to discrimination (viveka).