Shloka 19

अव्यक्त-प्रबोधः (Awakening to the Unmanifest): The 25th and 26th Principles and Eligibility for Brahma-vidyā

Devanagari script

जनक उवाच विशेषधर्मान्‌ वर्णानां प्रब्रूहि भगवन्‌ मम । ततः सामान्यधर्मश्चि सर्वत्र कुशलो हासि,जनकने पूछा--भगवन्‌! आप मुझे सब वर्णोके विशेष धर्म बताइये, फिर सामान्य धर्मोंका भी वर्णन कीजिये; क्योंकि आप सब विषयोंका प्रतिपादन करनेमें कुशल हैं

Transliteration

janaka uvāca viśeṣa-dharmān varṇānāṁ prabrūhi bhagavan mama | tataḥ sāmānya-dharmaś ca sarvatra kuśalo hy asi ||

Translation

जनक म्हणाले—भगवन्! मला सर्व वर्णांचे विशेष धर्म सांगावे; त्यानंतर सर्वांसाठी सामान्य असलेले धर्मही वर्णन करावे. कारण आपण सर्वत्र हितकर गोष्टी मांडण्यात कुशल आहात.

Word by Word

जनकःJanaka

उवाचsaid

विशेषधर्मान्special duties

वर्णानाम्of the varnas (social classes)

प्रब्रूहिtell (me), explain

भगवन्O venerable one

ममof me, for me

ततःthen, thereafter

सामान्यधर्मःthe general duty (common dharma)

चand

सर्वत्रeverywhere, in all matters

कुशलःskilled, competent

असिyou are

Speaker

जनक उवाच

Characters & Entities

Janaka

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames a twofold inquiry into dharma: (1) viśeṣa-dharma—duties that differ by social role (varṇa), and (2) sāmānya-dharma—universal ethical duties binding on everyone. It highlights that a complete account of righteousness must address both role-based obligations and common moral principles.

What is happening in the narrative?

King Janaka, in a dialogic setting within the Śānti Parva’s teachings on peace and righteousness, respectfully asks a revered teacher (addressed as ‘bhagavan’) to expound first the specific duties of the varṇas and then the general duties shared by all, acknowledging the teacher’s competence in ethical instruction.