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Shloka 5

Sanatsujāta-Āhvāna (Summoning Sanatsujāta) — Vidura’s Invocation and Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Doubt

प्रमादाद्‌ वै असुरा: पराभव- न्नप्रमादाद्‌ ब्रह्मभूता: सुराश्ष । नैव मृत्युर्व्याघ्र इवात्ति जन्तून्‌ न हास्य रूपमुपलभ्यते हि,प्रमादके ही कारण असुरगण (आसुरी सम्पत्तिवाले) मृत्युसे पराजित हुए और अप्रमादसे ही देवगण (दैवी सम्पत्तिवाले) ब्रह्मस्वरूप हुए। यह निश्चय है कि मृत्यु व्याप्रके समान प्राणियोंका भक्षण नहीं करती, क्योंकि उसका कोई रूप देखनेमें नहीं आता

pramādād vai asurāḥ parābhavan na pramādād brahmabhūtāḥ surāḥ | naiva mṛtyur vyāghra ivātti jantūn na hāsya rūpam upalabhyate hi ||

Sanatsujāta mengajarkan bahawa kecenderungan yang bersifat asura menemui kekalahan kerana kelalaian, sedangkan kecenderungan yang bersifat deva mencapai keadaan seumpama Brahman melalui kewaspadaan dan kesedaran. Maut, katanya, tidak menelan makhluk seperti harimau yang menerkam dengan nyata, kerana maut tidak mempunyai rupa yang dapat dilihat secara langsung; ia menewaskan melalui sebab batin—iaitu kelalaian—bukan melalui bentuk yang kelihatan dan dapat digenggam.

प्रमादात्from negligence
प्रमादात्:
Apadana
TypeNoun
Rootप्रमाद
FormMasculine, Ablative, Singular
वैindeed
वै:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवै
असुराःAsuras
असुराः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootअसुर
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
पराभवन्were defeated / met defeat
पराभवन्:
TypeVerb
Rootपराभू
FormImperfect, 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada
not
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
अप्रमादात्from vigilance / non-negligence
अप्रमादात्:
Apadana
TypeNoun
Rootअप्रमाद
FormMasculine, Ablative, Singular
ब्रह्मभूताःhaving become Brahman-like / exalted
ब्रह्मभूताः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootब्रह्मभूत
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
सुराःthe gods
सुराः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootसुर
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
not
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
एवindeed / just
एव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव
मृत्युःDeath
मृत्युः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootमृत्यु
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
व्याघ्रःa tiger
व्याघ्रः:
TypeNoun
Rootव्याघ्र
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
इवlike
इव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइव
अत्तिeats / devours
अत्ति:
TypeVerb
Rootअद्
FormPresent, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada
जन्तून्creatures / beings
जन्तून्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootजन्तु
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
not
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
indeed (emphatic particle)
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
अस्यof it / of him (of Death)
अस्य:
TypePronoun
Rootइदम्
FormMasculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular
रूपम्form
रूपम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootरूप
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
उपलभ्यतेis perceived / is obtained
उपलभ्यते:
TypeVerb
Rootउपलभ्
FormPresent, 3rd, Singular, Atmanepada, Indicative
हिfor / indeed
हि:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootहि

सनत्युजात उवाच

सनत्सुजात (Sanatsujāta)
असुर (Asura)
सुर/देव (Sura/Deva)
मृत्यु (Death)
व्याघ्र (Tiger)
जन्तु (Living beings)

Educational Q&A

Negligence (pramāda) is the inner cause of downfall and ‘death’ in the ethical-spiritual sense, while vigilance (apramāda) leads to elevation—symbolized as becoming brahman-like. Death is not a visible predator; it prevails through unseen conditions, especially heedlessness.

In the Sanatsujātīya discourse within Udyoga Parva, Sanatsujāta instructs (in response to existential concerns about death and right living) that the decisive factor is one’s attentiveness or negligence: asuric tendencies fall through pramāda, whereas divine tendencies rise through apramāda.