Shloka 6

Ādi Parva, Adhyāya 85: Āṣṭaka–Yayāti संवादः

Merit-Exhaustion, Rebirth, and the Critique of Pride

Devanagari script

सितश्मश्रुर्निरानन्दो जरया शिथिलीकृत: । वलीसंगतगाज्रस्तु दुर्दर्शो दुर्बल: कृशः,महाराज! मैं उस बुढ़ापेको लेनेकी इच्छा नहीं करता, जिसके आनेपर दाढ़ी-मूँछके बाल सफेद हो जाते हैं; जीवनका आनन्द चला जाता है। वृद्धावस्था एकदम शिथिल कर देती है। सारे शरीरमें झुर्रियाँ पड़ जाती हैं और मनुष्य इतना दुर्बल तथा कृशकाय हो जाता है कि उसकी ओर देखते नहीं बनता

Transliteration

sitaśmaśrur nirānando jarayā śithilīkṛtaḥ | valīsaṅgatagātrast tu durdarśo durbalaḥ kṛśaḥ ||

Translation

Вайшампаяна сказал: «Я не желаю той старости, при которой белеют борода и усы, уходит радость жизни, а тело, разболтанное дряхлостью, слабеет. Когда члены покрыты морщинами, человек становится столь слаб и исхудав, что на него едва можно смотреть.»

Word by Word

सितश्मश्रुःhaving white beard/moustache

निरानन्दःjoyless, without delight

जरयाby old age

शिथिलीकृतःmade slack/feeble

वलीwrinkles

संगताःgathered/formed (i.e., have appeared)

गात्रःbody/limbs (as the locus)

तुbut/indeed

दुर्दर्शःhard to look at, unsightly

दुर्बलःweak

कृशःemaciated, thin

महाराजO great king!

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

jarā (old age)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse reflects a classical Mahābhārata theme: the inevitability and distress of bodily decline (jarā). By vividly describing the loss of vigor and dignity in old age, it prompts ethical reflection on impermanence and the need to seek lasting values beyond physical pleasure and appearance.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Vaiśampāyana’s narration, a speaker laments the onset of old age, describing its visible signs—white facial hair, loss of joy, slackened body, wrinkles, weakness, and emaciation—framing old age as something undesirable and pitiable.