Shloka 17

Adhyāya 287 — Janaka’s Inquiry on Śreyas, Abhayadāna, and Asaṅga

Non-attachment

Devanagari script

निवृत्ति: कर्मण: पापात्‌ सततं पुण्यशीलता । सद्धिश्व समुदाचार: श्रेय एतदसंशयम्‌

Transliteration

nivṛttiḥ karmaṇaḥ pāpāt satataṃ puṇyaśīlatā | saddhiśva samudācāraḥ śreya etad asaṃśayam ||

Translation

نارد نے کہا—گناہ آلود عمل سے باز آ جانا، ہمیشہ نیکی کی خو اختیار کرنا، اور نیک لوگوں کے ساتھ رہ کر درست آچرن (سداچار) پر قائم رہنا—یہی بے شک ‘شریَس’ ہے۔

Word by Word

• निवृत्तिः: cessation/withdrawal
• निवृत्तिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: निवृत्ति
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• कर्मणः: from action/deed
• कर्मणः: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन्
• Form: Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• पापात्: from sin/evil
• पापात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप
• Form: Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• सततम्: always/constantly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सतत

• पुण्यशीलता: virtuous disposition
• पुण्यशीलता: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्यशीलता
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• सत्: good/right (thing)
• सत्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• हि: indeed/for
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

• एषः: this
• एषः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• समुदाचारः: proper conduct
• समुदाचारः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: समुदाचार
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• श्रेयः: the good/supreme good
• श्रेयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रेयस्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• एतत्: this (is)
• एतत्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• असंशयम्: undoubtedly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: असंशय

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Nārada

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse defines śreyas (true welfare) as a threefold discipline: refraining from sinful acts (nivṛtti from pāpa), cultivating steady virtue (satataṃ puṇyaśīlatā), and embodying proper conduct in daily life (samudācāra).

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva’s instruction-oriented setting, Nārada speaks as a moral teacher, summarizing the practical marks of dharma: avoidance of wrongdoing and sustained ethical living as the sure path to the highest good.