Shloka 1

मनुरुवाच — इन्द्रिय-मनः-ज्ञान-क्रमः

Manu on the hierarchy of senses, mind, and knowledge

Devanagari script

पम्प छा अकाल षण्णवर्त्याधेकशततमोब् ध्याय: जपयज्ञके विषयमें युधिषिरका प्रश्न

Transliteration

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca |

catūrāśramyam uktaṃ te rājadharmās tathaiva ca |

nānāśrayāś ca bahava itihāsāḥ pṛthagvidhāḥ ||

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca |

gatīnām uttamā prāptiḥ kathitāṃ jāpakeṣv iha |

ekaivaiṣā gatis teṣām uta yānty aparām api ||

Translation

Sinabi ni Yudhiṣṭhira: “Lolo, ipinaliwanag mo ang kaayusan ng apat na yugto ng buhay, gayundin ang mga tungkulin ng mga hari; at nagsalaysay ka rin ng maraming sari-saring kasaysayan na kaugnay ng iba’t ibang paksa. Muli, ipinahayag mo rito na ang mga debotong nagsasagawa ng japa ay nakakamit ang pinakamataas na hantungan. Iyon lamang ba ang hantungan para sa kanila, o kung minsan ay nakararating din sila sa ibang kapalaran?”

Word by Word

• युधिष्ठिरः: Yudhishthira
• युधिष्ठिरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: युधिष्ठिर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• गतीनाम्: of (the) destinies/paths
• Type: Noun
• Root: गति
• Form: Feminine, Genitive, Plural

• उत्तमा: highest, best
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• प्राप्तिः: attainment
• प्राप्तिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राप्ति
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• कथिता: told, stated
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कथित
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• जापकॆषु: among reciters (of japa)
• जापकॆषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: जापक
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Plural

• इह: here, in this context
• इह: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह

• एका: one, single
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• एव: indeed, only
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• एषा: this
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• गतिः: destination, course
• Type: Noun
• Root: गति
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• तेषाम्: of them
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• उत: or (also), alternatively
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उत

• यान्ति: they go, attain
• Type: Verb
• Root: या
• Form: Present, Third, Plural

• अपराम्: another (destination)
• अपराम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अपर
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• अपि: also, even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

Speaker

युधिछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Bhīṣma (implied by 'Grandfather')
• catūrāśrama (four āśramas)
• rājadharma
• japa (japayajña)
• gati (destiny)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames a doctrinal inquiry: even if japa is praised as leading to the highest post-mortem destiny, is that result guaranteed for all japa-practitioners, or can faults and variations in practice lead to different outcomes? It sets up a nuanced discussion of spiritual discipline, merit, and ethical causality.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva dialogue, Yudhiṣṭhira continues questioning Bhīṣma after hearing teachings on the four āśramas and royal duty. He now turns to the topic of japa, asking whether japa-practitioners invariably attain the supreme goal or whether they may also reach other destinies.