Shloka 9

Śuka’s Guṇa-Transcendence and Vyāsa’s Consolation (शुकगति-वर्णनम्)

Devanagari script

सातिसूक्ष्मां कथां श्रुत्वा तथ्यं नेति ससंशया । दर्शने जातसंकल्पा जनकस्य बभूव ह

Transliteration

sātisūkṣmāṁ kathāṁ śrutvā tathyaṁ neti saṁśayā | darśane jāta-saṅkalpā janakasya babhūva ha ||

Translation

毗湿摩说：苏拉婆从他人口中听到一段极其微妙、论及至上梵（Brahman）的言说，便心生疑惑：世人关于阇那迦王的传闻，究竟真还是不真？疑念既起，她心中便生出坚定之志，要亲自去见阇那迦。

Word by Word

• सातिसूक्ष्माम्: very subtle
• सातिसूक्ष्माम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अतिसूक्ष्म
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• कथाम्: discourse, talk
• कथाम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कथा
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Adhikarana
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral), Non-finite

• तथ्यम्: true
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तथ्य
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• इति: thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति

• ससंशया: with doubt, doubtful
• ससंशया: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स-सम्शय
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• दर्शने: in/for seeing, in the matter of meeting
• दर्शने: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: दर्शन
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• जातसंकल्पा: having formed a resolve
• जातसंकल्पा: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जात-संकल्प
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• जनकस्य: of Janaka
• Type: Noun
• Root: जनक
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• बभूव: became, came to be
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• ह: indeed (emphatic particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ह

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Sulabhā
• Janaka

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Subtle spiritual claims should be tested through direct inquiry and discernment rather than accepted merely on reputation; sincere doubt can mature into a disciplined search for truth.

What is happening in the narrative?

After hearing highly refined teachings about Brahman and about Janaka’s famed spiritual stature, Sulabhā becomes uncertain whether the praise is accurate; she therefore resolves to meet Janaka personally.