Shloka 20
Vasiṣṭha–Karāla-Janaka Saṃvāda: Aśuddha-Sevana, Guṇa-Dr̥ṣṭi, and Sāṃkhya–Yoga Ekārthatā
Mahābhārata 12.293
Devanagari script
अतिक्रामेन्मज्जमानो विविधेन नर: सदा । तथा प्रयत्न कुर्वीत यथा मुच्येत संश्रयात्
Transliteration
atikrāmen majjamāno vividhenā naraḥ sadā | tathā prayatnaṁ kurvīta yathā mucyeta saṁśrayāt ||
Translation
波罗舍罗说：“如同将沉之人恒以种种方法奋力求渡，亦复如是，人当常自策励，使自己脱离依赖与执著——出离世间生死之海。”
Word by Word
अतिक्रामेत्should cross over / should pass beyond
अतिक्रामेत्:
TypeVerb
Rootअति-क्रम्
FormVidhi-linga, Optative (potential), 3, Singular, Parasmaipada
मज्जमानःsinking (one)
मज्जमानः:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootमज्ज्
FormShatr (present active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular
विविधेनby various (means)
विविधेन:
Karana
TypeAdjective
Rootविविध
FormNeuter, Instrumental, Singular
नरःa man
नरः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootनर
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
सदाalways
सदा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootसदा
तथाthus / in the same way
तथा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतथा
प्रयत्नम्effort
प्रयत्नम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootप्रयत्न
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
कुर्वीतshould do / should make
कुर्वीत:
TypeVerb
Rootकृ
FormVidhi-linga, Optative (potential), 3, Singular, Parasmaipada
यथाso that / in such a way that
यथा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootयथा
मुच्येतmay be freed / should be released
मुच्येत:
TypeVerb
Rootमुच्
FormVidhi-linga, Optative (potential), 3, Singular, Atmanepada, Passive sense (is released)
संश्रयात्from dependence / from resorting (to worldly support)
संश्रयात्:
Apadana
TypeNoun
Rootसंश्रय
FormMasculine, Ablative, Singular
Speaker
पराशर उवाच
Characters & Entities
प
पराशर (Parāśara)न
नर (a person/man)स
समुद्र (ocean, implied by the drowning simile)Character Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
One should make sustained, practical effort—like a drowning person using every available means—to free oneself from worldly dependence and attachment, aiming at release from saṁsāra.
In Śānti Parva’s instructional discourse, Parāśara advises the listener through a vivid simile: the urgency and ingenuity of a drowning person becomes the model for spiritual striving toward liberation.