Shloka 203

जनक–सुलभा संवादः

Janaka–Sulabhā Dialogue on Mokṣa and Non-attachment

Devanagari script

चतुर्विशमसारं च षड्विंशस्य प्रबोधनात्‌ । छब्बीसवाँ तत्त्व परमात्मा अजन्मा

Transliteration

caturviśam asāraṃ ca ṣaḍviṃśasya prabodhanāt |

Translation

ବସିଷ୍ଠ ଶିଖାନ୍ତି—ଛବିଶତମ ତତ୍ତ୍ୱରେ ଜାଗ୍ରତି ହେଲେ, ଚବିଶ ତତ୍ତ୍ୱରେ ଗଠିତ ପ୍ରକୃତି ଅସାର ବୋଲି ବୁଝାଯାଏ। ଛବିଶତମ ତତ୍ତ୍ୱ ପରମାତ୍ମା—ଅଜନ୍ମା, ସର୍ବବ୍ୟାପୀ ଏବଂ ସଙ୍ଗଦୋଷରହିତ। ତାଙ୍କ ଶରଣ ନେଇ ଯେତେବେଳେ ଜୀବାତ୍ମା ତାଙ୍କ ସ୍ୱରୂପକୁ ସାକ୍ଷାତ୍କାର କରେ, ସେତେବେଳେ ପରମାତ୍ମ-ଜ୍ଞାନର ପ୍ରଭାବରେ ସେ ନିଜେ ମଧ୍ୟ (ଯେନ) ସର୍ବବ୍ୟାପୀ ହୋଇଯାଏ; ଏବଂ ଚବିଶ ତତ୍ତ୍ୱଯୁକ୍ତ ପ୍ରକୃତିକୁ ଅସାର ଭାବି ତାହାପ୍ରତି ଆସକ୍ତି ତ୍ୟାଗ କରେ।

Word by Word

• चतुर्विंशम्: the twenty-four (principle)
• चतुर्विंशम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर्विंश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• असारम्: insubstantial, not the essence
• असारम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: असार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

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

• षड्विंशस्य: of the twenty-sixth (principle)
• षड्विंशस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: षड्विंश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• प्रबोधनात्: from (the act of) awakening/realization
• प्रबोधनात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रबोधन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Ablative, Singular

Speaker

वसिष्ठ उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vasiṣṭha
• Paramātman
• Jīvātman
• Prakṛti
• twenty-four tattvas
• twenty-sixth tattva

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Realization of the twenty-sixth principle (Paramātman)—unborn, all-pervading, and free from the taint of association—dissolves the sense of limitation in the individual self. With the rise of supreme knowledge, one ceases to treat the twenty-four evolutes of Prakṛti as ultimately real or worthy of attachment, and thus turns toward liberation through dispassion and insight.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vasiṣṭha is instructing on metaphysical discernment: distinguishing Prakṛti’s twenty-four principles from the transcendent Supreme Self. The passage frames liberation as taking refuge in the Supreme, attaining direct realization, and thereby abandoning identification with the insubstantial constituents of nature.