Shloka 29

Jarā-Mṛtyu-anatikrama: Janaka–Pañcaśikha-saṃvāda

Aging and Death Cannot Be Overstepped

Devanagari script

यो5हमज्ञानसम्मोहादज्ञया सम्प्रवृत्तवान्‌ | ससज््याहं नि:ःसड़:ः स्थित: कालमिमं त्वहम्‌

Transliteration

yo ’ham ajñāna-sammohād ajñayā sampravṛttavān | sa-sajya-ahaṁ niḥsaṅgaḥ sthitaḥ kālam imaṁ tv aham ||

Translation

婆悉吒说道：“我本来实无执著，却仍因无明与迷惑而被驱使投入作为。于是，虽内心不系，我仍在这漫长岁月里与这惰性之物质性、能生执著的自然纠缠不已。”

Word by Word

• यः: who
• यः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अज्ञानसम्मोहात्: from delusion due to ignorance
• अज्ञानसम्मोहात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अज्ञानसम्मोह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Ablative, Singular

• अज्ञया: by ignorance / by non-knowledge
• अज्ञया: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अज्ञा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• सम्प्रवृत्तवान्: set forth / engaged (I did)
• सम्प्रवृत्तवान्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-प्र-वृत् (धातु) / प्रवृत्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Perfect (periphrastic), Third, Singular, Masculine

• सः: that (he/I as referred)
• सः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सज्ज्य: having attached / being attached (as an adverbial qualifier)
• सज्ज्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सञ्ज् (धातु) / सज्ज्य (कृदन्त/अव्ययभाव-रूप)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• निःसङ्गः: detached / free from attachment
• निःसङ्गः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निःसङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• स्थितः: standing / remaining
• स्थितः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु) / स्थित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Past participle, Third, Singular, Masculine

• कालम्: time
• कालम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• इमम्: this
• इमम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• तु: but / however
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वसिष्ठ उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vasiṣṭha

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even one who is essentially unattached can appear bound and active when overpowered by ignorance and delusion; therefore liberation requires clear self-knowledge and vigilance against moha, not merely an outward posture of renunciation.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vasiṣṭha reflects on his own condition: despite his inner freedom (niḥsaṅgatva), he admits that ignorance propelled him into prolonged involvement with binding material nature, illustrating how delusion can sustain worldly entanglement over time.