Śuka’s Guṇa-Transcendence and Vyāsa’s Consolation (शुकगति-वर्णनम्)
काषायधारणं मौण्ड्यं त्रिविष्टब्धं कमण्डलुम् । लिज्जन्युत्पथभूतानि न मोक्षायेति मे मति:
kāṣāyadhāraṇaṃ mauṇḍyaṃ trivisṭabdhaṃ kamaṇḍalum | lijjanyutpathabhūtāni na mokṣāyeti me matiḥ ||
ଜନକ କହିଲେ—କାଷାୟ ବସ୍ତ୍ର ଧାରଣ, ମୁଣ୍ଡନ, ତ୍ରିଦଣ୍ଡ ସହ କମଣ୍ଡଲୁ ବହନ—ଯଦି ଏଗୁଡ଼ିକ କେବଳ ବାହ୍ୟ ଚିହ୍ନ ହୋଇ ଅହଂକାର ଓ କୁପଥକୁ ନେଇଯାଏ, ତେବେ ମୋ ମତରେ ଏହା ମୋକ୍ଷର ସାଧନ ନୁହେଁ।
जनक उवाच
External marks of sainthood—ochre robes, a shaven head, and an ascetic’s water-pot—do not by themselves lead to moksha; when adopted for display they become a wrong path. True liberation depends on inner purity, restraint, and right knowledge.
King Janaka is speaking in a didactic context, critiquing superficial renunciation. He warns that outward ascetic symbols, if motivated by pride or pretense, mislead the practitioner and fail to produce liberation.