Shloka 56
Śuka’s Guṇa-Transcendence and Vyāsa’s Consolation (शुकगति-वर्णनम्)
न च कामसमायुक्ते युक्ते5प्यस्ति त्रिदण्डके । न रक्ष्यते त्वया चेदं न मुक्तस्यास्ति गोपना
na ca kāmasamāyukte yukte ’py asti tridaṇḍake | na rakṣyate tvayā cedaṃ na muktasyāsti gopanā ||
Janaka berkata: “Jika seseorang terjerat dalam nafsu inderawi, maka walaupun mengaku berdisiplin, membawa tridaṇḍa itu tidak wajar dan sia-sia. Dengan tingkah laku demikian, engkau tidak memelihara aturan jalan hidup saṁnyāsa. Dan jika ini dilakukan untuk menyembunyikan keadaanmu yang sebenar, ketahuilah: bagi yang benar-benar bebas, tiada keperluan untuk menyembunyikan diri.”
जनक उवाच
Educational Q&A
External marks of renunciation (like the tridaṇḍa) are meaningless if one remains attached to sensual desire; true renunciation is measured by inner restraint and integrity. A genuinely liberated person has no need to hide their state through contrived appearances.
King Janaka admonishes a renunciant figure: if their conduct is driven by desire, their ascetic insignia is pointless and they are failing to uphold the sannyāsa discipline; and if the insignia is used to conceal identity or inner state, Janaka argues that a liberated person does not require such concealment.