Shloka 33

Adhyaya 44 — Subahu’s Counsel to the King of Kashi and Alarka’s Renunciation through Yoga

Sanskrit

अहो कष्टं यदस्माभैः पूर्वं राज्यमनुष्ठितम् ।

इति पश्चान्मया ज्ञातं योगान्नास्ति परं सुखम् ॥

Transliteration

aho kaṣṭaṃ yad asmābhaiḥ pūrvaṃ rājyam anuṣṭhitam | iti paścān mayā jñātaṃ yogān nāsti paraṃ sukham ||

Translation

“Aduhai, betapa pedihnya bahawa dahulu aku menjalankan pemerintahan raja!” Demikianlah aku sedar kemudian: tiada kebahagiaan yang lebih tinggi daripada yoga.

Speakers

• Alarka (through his gāthā)
• introduced by narrator

Key Themes

• Vairāgya (dispassion)
• Limits of political power
• Yoga as highest sukha
• Retrospective wisdom