Shloka 35

जनक-राज्ञः मौण्ड्य-परिव्रज्या-विवादः

Janaka’s Renunciation Questioned; Discourse on Dāna and Detachment

Devanagari script

काषायैरजिनैश्वीरैर्नग्नान्‌ मुण्डान्‌ जटाधरान्‌ । बिभ्रत्‌ साधून्‌ महाराज जय लोकान्‌ जितेन्द्रिय:

Transliteration

kāṣāyair ajinaiś cīraiḥ nagnān muṇḍān jaṭādharān | bibhrat sādhūn mahārāja jaya lokān jitendriyaḥ ||

Translation

阿周那说：“大王啊，既能自制诸根，当护持诸圣修行者——披赭衣、着鹿皮与树皮衣者；或裸形而住，或剃发，或结发成髻者。以此如法供养，便可赢得功德之诸界。”

Word by Word

• काषायैः: with ochre robes
• काषायैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: काषाय
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• अजिनैः: with deerskins
• अजिनैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अजिन
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• वीरैः: with (those) heroes / by heroes
• वीरैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• नग्नान्: naked (ones)
• नग्नान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नग्न
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• मुण्डान्: shaven-headed (ones)
• मुण्डान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुण्ड
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• जटाधरान्: wearers of matted locks
• जटाधरान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: जटाधर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• बिभ्रत्: bearing / supporting
• बिभ्रत्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: भृ
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• साधून्: holy men / ascetics
• साधून्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: साधु
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• महाराज: O great king
• महाराज: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाराज
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• जय: conquer
• जय: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: जि
• Form: Imperative, Second, Singular, Parasmaipada

• लोकान्: worlds / realms
• लोकान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• जितेन्द्रियः: self-controlled (having conquered the senses)
• जितेन्द्रियः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जितेन्द्रिय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

अजुन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Arjuna
• Mahārāja (the king addressed)
• Sādhus/ascetics
• kāṣāya (ochre robe)
• ajina (deer-skin)
• cīra/valkala (bark garment)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A ruler (or any householder) should practice self-control and uphold dharma by supporting genuine renunciants; such righteous patronage is presented as a means to accrue merit and attain auspicious realms.

What is happening in the narrative?

Arjuna addresses a king and urges him to maintain ascetics distinguished by austere marks—ochre robes, deer-skins, bark garments, nakedness, shaven heads, or matted hair—framing this support as a dharmic act that leads to victory in ‘worlds’ of merit.