Shloka 42

Aśmagīta: Janaka’s Inquiry on Loss, Kāla, and the Limits of Control (अश्मगीता)

Devanagari script

न दृष्टपूर्व प्रत्यक्ष परलोकं विदुर्बुधा: । आगरमांस्त्वनतिक्रम्य श्रद्धातव्यं बुभूषता

Transliteration

na dṛṣṭapūrvaṃ pratyakṣaṃ paralokaṃ vidur budhāḥ | āgamāṃs tv anatikramya śraddhātavyaṃ bubhūṣatā ||

Translation

Janaka nói: Người trí biết rằng cõi đời sau không hiện ra trước mắt giác quan, cũng chẳng phải điều từng thấy từ trước. Dẫu vậy, ai cầu lợi ích tối thượng cho mình thì chớ vượt trái những điều răn dạy của thánh điển; hãy đặt lòng tin nơi những điều ấy truyền dạy.

Word by Word

• {'na': 'not', 'dṛṣṭa-pūrvam': 'previously seen

• known from prior direct experience', 'pratyakṣam': 'directly perceptible

• evident to the senses', 'paralokam': 'the other world

• realm beyond this life', 'viduḥ': 'know

• understand', 'budhāḥ': 'the wise

• discerning persons', 'āgamān': 'scriptural teachings

• authoritative tradition (śāstra)', 'tu': 'but

• however', 'anatikramya': 'without overstepping

• without violating', 'śraddhātavyam': 'should be trusted

• should be held with faith', 'bubhūṣatā': 'by one who wishes to be (well)

Speaker

जनक उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Janaka
• paraloka
• āgama (scriptural authority)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even if the afterlife cannot be verified by direct perception or prior experience, a person seeking true welfare should not violate scriptural injunctions and should place trust in the guidance of śāstra/āgama.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s discourse setting, King Janaka speaks as a teacher of dharma, addressing doubts about the unseen ‘other world’ and urging adherence to authoritative teachings as a practical ethical discipline.