Shloka 64
Śuka’s Guṇa-Transcendence and Vyāsa’s Consolation (शुकगति-वर्णनम्)
अथवापि स्वतन्त्रासि स्वदोषेणेह कर्हिचित् । यदि किंचिच्छुतं ते5स्ति सर्व कृतमनर्थकम्
athavāpi svatantrāsi svadoṣeṇeha karhicit | yadi kiñcic chrutaṃ te 'sti sarvaṃ kṛtam anarthakam ||
阇那迦说道：“纵使你可自主抉择，在此处某一时刻，你也因自身之过，使你所听闻的那一点点圣教尽皆徒然。知识若不以行持为证——由于自身缺失——终究只成虚耗。”
जनक उवाच
Educational Q&A
Scriptural hearing (śruti/śāstra-śravaṇa) becomes truly valuable only when it transforms conduct; if one’s own defects (svadoṣa)—such as pride, negligence, or lack of restraint—block practice, then even genuine learning is rendered futile.
King Janaka admonishes the listener, stressing personal accountability: even with freedom of choice, one can nullify the benefit of whatever sacred instruction one has heard by acting under one’s own faults, thereby making that learning ‘anarthaka’ (without fruitful purpose).