Shloka 17

शुकस्य मिथिलागमनम् (Śukasya Mithilāgamanam) — Śuka’s Journey to Mithilā and the Courtly Test

Devanagari script

एषोप्ययस्ते राजेन्द्र यथावत्‌ समुदाहत: । अध्यात्ममधिभूतं च अधिदैवं च श्रूयताम्‌

Transliteration

eṣo'py ayaṃ te rājendra yathāvat samudāhṛtaḥ | adhyātmam adhibhūtaṃ ca adhidaivaṃ ca śrūyatām ||

Translation

Hỡi đại vương, ta đã theo đúng thứ tự mà trình bày cho ngài, như thật, về tiến trình tiêu dung (saṃhāra) ấy. Nay, hỡi bậc tối thượng trong hàng quân vương, hãy lắng nghe sự giảng giải về ba phương diện: adhyātma (thuộc về Tự Ngã), adhibhūta (thuộc về thân hữu và các đại), và adhidaiva (thuộc về trật tự thần linh).

Word by Word

• एषः: this (one/this matter)
• एषः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• अयम्: this
• अयम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ते: to you
• ते: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: Dative, Singular

• राजेन्द्र: O king of kings
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजेन्द्र
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• यथावत्: properly, as it is
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथावत्

• समुदाहृतः: has been duly stated/uttered
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-उद्-आ-हृ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, kta (past passive participle)

• अध्यात्मम्: the spiritual/pertaining to the self
• अध्यात्मम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अध्यात्म
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अधिभूतम्: the elemental/pertaining to beings (material)
• अधिभूतम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अधिभूत
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

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

• अधिदैवम्: the divine/pertaining to deities
• अधिदैवम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अधिदैव
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

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

• श्रूयताम्: let it be heard; please listen
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु
• Form: Lot (imperative), Atmanepada, Third, Singular

• राजेन्द्र: O king of kings
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजेन्द्र
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

याज़्वल्क्य उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Yājñavalkya
• Rājendra (the king addressed)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The speaker transitions from a prior explanation to a structured teaching that interprets reality in three correlated domains: the inner self (adhyātma), the material/elemental world of beings (adhibhūta), and the divine or cosmic presiding order (adhidaiva).

What is happening in the narrative?

Yājñavalkya addresses the king respectfully, stating that he has already explained a preceding topic in proper sequence, and now invites the king to listen to the next section—an exposition of adhyātma, adhibhūta, and adhidaiva.