Shloka 4

Aśmagīta: Janaka’s Inquiry on Loss, Kāla, and the Limits of Control (अश्मगीता)

Devanagari script

जनक उवाच आगमे यदि वापाये ज्ञातीनां द्रविणस्य च । नरेण प्रतिपत्तव्यं कल्याणं कथमिच्छता,जनक बोले--ब्रह्मन्‌! कुटुम्बीजन और धनकी उत्पत्ति या विनाश होनेपर कल्याण चाहनेवाले पुरुषको कैसा निश्चय करना चाहिये?

Transliteration

janaka uvāca | āgame yadi vāpāye jñātīnāṃ draviṇasya ca | nareṇa pratipattavyaṃ kalyāṇaṃ katham icchatā ||

Translation

ଜନକ କହିଲେ— ହେ ବ୍ରାହ୍ମଣ! ଜ୍ଞାତିଜନ ଓ ଧନର ବୃଦ୍ଧି କିମ୍ବା କ୍ଷୟ ହେଲେ, ଯେ ପୁରୁଷ ସତ୍ୟ ମଙ୍ଗଳ ଚାହେ, ସେ କେଉଁ ଦୃଢ଼ ଆଚରଣ ଗ୍ରହଣ କରିବା ଉଚିତ?

Word by Word

• जनकः: Janaka
• जनकः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: जनक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• आगमे: in the acquisition/coming (of)
• आगमे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: आगम
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• यदि: if
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि

• वा: or
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा

• अपाये: in the loss/decline (of)
• अपाये: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपाय
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• ज्ञातीनाम्: of kinsmen/relatives
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञाति
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• द्रविणस्य: of wealth
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रविण
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Singular

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

• नरेण: by a man
• नरेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• प्रतिपत्तव्यम्: should be adopted/decided upon
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रतिपद्
• Form: Gerundive (तव्यत्), Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• कल्याणम्: welfare/good
• कल्याणम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कल्याण
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• कथम्: how
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम्

• इच्छता: by (one) desiring
• इच्छता: Karana
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष्
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ), Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

Speaker

जनक उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Janaka
• Brahmin (addressed interlocutor)
• jñāti (kinsmen/relatives)
• draviṇa (wealth)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames an ethical inquiry: a seeker of true welfare (kalyāṇa) must choose a steady, principled course of conduct that does not collapse under either prosperity (gain of wealth/relations) or adversity (their loss).

What is happening in the narrative?

King Janaka addresses a Brahmin interlocutor and asks for guidance on what resolution or practical stance a person should adopt when family circumstances and material fortunes fluctuate—seeking a path that leads to genuine good.