Shloka 1

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

Devanagari script

अपन कराता बछ। अं क्ाजज द्वादर्शाधिकत्रिशततमो< ध्याय: संहारक्रमका वर्णन याज़्वल्क्य उवाच तत्त्वानां सर्वसंख्या च कालसंख्या तथैव च । मया प्रोक्ता5<नुपूर्व्येण संहारमपि मे शूणु

Transliteration

Yājñavalkya uvāca: tattvānāṁ sarva-saṅkhyā ca kāla-saṅkhyā tathaiva ca | mayā proktā anupūrvyena saṁhāram api me śṛṇu ||

Translation

耶若那伐迦说道：“大王啊，如今请听我依次开示：诸本原要素（tattva）的总数、时间的计量，以及这些要素在坏灭之际如何被收摄回归的次第。请聆听我此教诲。”

Word by Word

• तत्त्वानाम्: of the principles (tattvas)
• तत्त्वानाम्: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत्त्व
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• सर्वसंख्या: the total number
• सर्वसंख्या: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्वसंख्या
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

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

• कालसंख्या: the number/measure of time (time-count)
• कालसंख्या: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कालसंख्या
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• तथा: likewise
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• एव: indeed/just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

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

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अहम्
• Form: Instrumental, Singular

• प्रोक्ता: told/declared
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-वच्
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular, Past passive participle (क्त)

• अनुपूर्व्येण: in due order/sequence
• अनुपूर्व्येण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनुपूर्व्य
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• संहारम्: dissolution/withdrawal
• संहारम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: संहार
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

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

• मे: of me / my
• मे: Sambandha
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अहम्
• Form: Genitive, Singular

• शृणु: hear (you)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु
• Form: Imperative, Second, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

याज़्वल्क्य उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Yājñavalkya
• the King (rājan, unnamed addressee)
• tattvas (fundamental principles)
• kāla (time)
• saṁhāra (dissolution/withdrawal)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse introduces a structured exposition: the sage will explain (1) the full count of fundamental principles (tattvas), (2) the measure and hierarchy of time (kāla-saṅkhyā), and (3) the process of dissolution (saṁhāra) in which these principles are withdrawn—framing a cosmological and philosophical teaching meant to guide right understanding.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s didactic setting, the sage Yājñavalkya addresses a king and signals a transition into a systematic discourse. He asks the king to listen as he proceeds in order through enumerations and the doctrine of cosmic withdrawal, indicating that the next section will be technical and sequential.