Shloka 18

Sanatsujāta-Āhvāna (Summoning Sanatsujāta) — Vidura’s Invocation and Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Doubt

Devanagari script

सनत्युजात उवाच एवं ह्ुविद्वानुपयाति तत्र तत्रार्थजातं च वदन्ति वेदा: । अनीह आयाति परं परात्मा प्रयाति मार्गेण निहत्य मार्गान्‌

Transliteration

sanatsujāta uvāca | evaṁ hy avidvān upayāti tatra tatra arthajātaṁ ca vadanti vedāḥ | anīha āyāti paraṁ parātmā prayāti mārgeṇa nihatya mārgān |

Translation

సనత్సుజాతుడు పలికెను—రాజా! అజ్ఞాని ఈ విధంగా ఒక స్థితి నుండి మరొక స్థితికి సంచరిస్తాడు; వేదములు కూడా కర్మసంబంధమైన అనేక ప్రయోజనములను చెప్పుచున్నవి. కాని నిష్కాముడు జ్ఞానమార్గమున ఇతర మార్గములన్నిటిని అణచి, పరమాత్మస్వరూపమున నిలిచి పరమాత్మను పొందును.

Word by Word

• सनत्सुजातः: Sanatsujata
• सनत्सुजातः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सनत्सुजात
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• एवम्: thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम्

• हि: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

• अविद्वान्: an ignorant person
• अविद्वान्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अविद्वस्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उपयाति: goes/approaches
• Type: Verb
• Root: या
• Form: Present, Third, Singular

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र

• तत्र: there (here and there)
• तत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र

• अर्थजातम्: a mass/collection of purposes (ends)
• अर्थजातम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थजात
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

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

• वदन्ति: say/declare
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद्
• Form: Present, Third, Plural

• वेदाः: the Vedas
• वेदाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• अनीहः: desireless; without striving
• अनीहः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनीह
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• आयाति: comes/attains
• Type: Verb
• Root: या
• Form: Present, Third, Singular

• परम्: the supreme (state/goal)
• परम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• परात्मा: the Supreme Self
• परात्मा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: परात्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रयाति: goes forth; proceeds
• Type: Verb
• Root: या
• Form: Present, Third, Singular

• मार्गेण: by the path/means
• मार्गेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्ग
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• निहत्य: having destroyed/overcome
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन्
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund), नि

• मार्गान्: paths (other ways)
• मार्गान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्ग
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

Speaker

सनत्युजात उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sanatsujata
• Vedas
• Paramatma (Supreme Self)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Ignorance leads one to wander among many ends and destinations through action and its promised results, whereas desirelessness joined to knowledge leads to the Supreme by transcending and mastering all lesser means.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sanatsujāta instructs the king in a spiritual discourse, contrasting the restless movement of the ignorant—guided by ritual aims—with the steady liberation of the desireless knower who reaches the Supreme Self through jñāna.