Shloka 36

परिव्राजक-आचारः (Conduct of the Wandering Renunciant) — Mahābhārata, Śānti-parva 269

Devanagari script

स्यूमरश्मिरु्वाच भवन्तो ज्ञाननिष्ठा वै गृहस्था: कर्मनिश्चया: । आश्रमाणां च सर्वेषां निष्ठायामैक्यमुच्यते

Transliteration

syūmarśmir uvāca—bhavanto jñānaniṣṭhā vai gṛhasthāḥ karmaniścayāḥ | āśramāṇāṃ ca sarveṣāṃ niṣṭhāyām aikyam ucyate | syūmarśmiṇe pṛcchā—bhagavan! āp to jñānaniṣṭhā hain aur gṛhastha-log karmaniṣṭha hote hain; parantu āp is samay niṣṭhā meṃ sabhī āśramoṃ kī ekatā kā pratipādan kar rahe hain | is prakār jñāna aur karma kī ekatā aur pṛthaktā—donoṃ kā bhram hone se in kā ṭhīk-ṭhīk antar samajh meṃ nahīṃ ātā | isliye āp mujhe use yathocit evaṃ yathārtha rīti se batāne kī kṛpā kareṃ |

Translation

ସ୍ୟୂମରଶ୍ମି କହିଲେ—“ଭଗବନ୍! ଆପଣ ଜ୍ଞାନନିଷ୍ଠ; ଗୃହସ୍ଥମାନେ କର୍ମନିଷ୍ଠ। ତଥାପି ଆପଣ ଏବେ ନିଷ୍ଠାର ବିଷୟରେ ସମସ୍ତ ଆଶ୍ରମର ଏକତା କହୁଛନ୍ତି। ଏଥିରୁ ଜ୍ଞାନ ଓ କର୍ମ ଏକ କି ଭିନ୍ନ—ଏହି ଭ୍ରମ ହେଉଛି। ତେଣୁ ଦୟାକରି ଯଥୋଚିତ ଓ ଯଥାର୍ଥ ଭାବେ ମୋତେ ବୁଝାନ୍ତୁ।”

Word by Word

• स्यूमरश्मिः: Sūyumarasmi (proper name)
• स्यूमरश्मिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्यूमरश्मि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect, 3, Singular, Parasmaipada

• भवन्तः: you (honorific, plural)
• भवन्तः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: भवत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• ज्ञाननिष्ठाः: steadfast in knowledge
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्ञाननिष्ठ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• वै: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै

• गृहस्थाः: householders
• गृहस्थाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृहस्थ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• कर्मनिश्चयाः: resolved/committed to action (ritual duty)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कर्मनिश्चय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• आश्रमाणाम्: of the āśramas (stages of life)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आश्रम
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• सर्वेषाम्: of all
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• निष्ठायाम्: in the (one) steadfast path/commitment
• निष्ठायाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: निष्ठा
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Singular

• ऐक्यम्: unity
• ऐक्यम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऐक्य
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• उच्यते: is said/declared
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Present, 3, Singular, Atmanepada (Passive)

Speaker

कपिल उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Syūmarśmi
• Kapila
• Gṛhastha (householder āśrama)
• Āśramas (life-stages)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames a key philosophical problem: how the commitments of knowledge (jñāna-niṣṭhā) and action (karma-niṣṭhā) relate across the four āśramas. The questioner seeks a precise account of whether these are ultimately one in aim (leading to liberation and dharma) or genuinely distinct in method and obligation.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Kapila-related discourse of Śānti Parva, Syūmarśmi addresses Kapila with a respectful challenge. He notes the common view that sages embody knowledge while householders embody action, yet Kapila has spoken of a unity of steadfastness across all āśramas. Syūmarśmi therefore asks for a clear, truthful explanation to resolve his doubt about unity versus difference between jñāna and karma.