Shloka 3

अध्याय ३२३ — श्वेतद्वीपगमनम्, यज्ञभाग-विवादः, एकान्तिभक्त्या नारायणदर्शन-नियमः (Śvetadvīpa Journey; Dispute over Sacrificial Share; Rule of Nārāyaṇa-vision through Single-minded Devotion)

Devanagari script

कथं च बालस्य सतः: सूक्ष्मज्ञाने गता मतिः । यथा नान्यस्य लोके5स्मिन्‌ द्वितीयस्येह कस्यचित्‌

Transliteration

kathaṃ ca bālasya sataḥ sūkṣmajñāne gatā matiḥ | yathā nānyasya loke 'smin dvitīyasyeha kasyacit ||

Translation

尤提希提罗说道：“舒迦虽仍是孩童，他的心智为何能安住于微妙而洞彻的智慧之中？在这世间，我未曾见过第二个人具备如此的才智。”

Word by Word

• कथम्: how?
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम्

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

• बालस्य: of a child / of the boy
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाल
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• सतः: being / existing (i.e., though he was)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• सूक्ष्मज्ञाने: in subtle knowledge
• सूक्ष्मज्ञाने: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूक्ष्मज्ञान
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• गता: gone / directed / fixed
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम्
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• मतिः: intellect, understanding
• मतिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मति
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• यथा: as / in such a way that
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

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

• अन्यस्य: of another (person)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अन्य
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• लोके: in the world
• लोके: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• अस्मिन्: in this
• अस्मिन्: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Locative, Singular

• द्वितीयस्य: of a second (one)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वितीय
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• इह: here
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह

• कस्यचित्: of anyone whatsoever
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किम्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular, चित् (indefinite)

Speaker

युधिछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Śukadeva (Śuka)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights wonder at extraordinary spiritual maturity: true insight (sūkṣma-jñāna) can manifest even in youth, suggesting that inner readiness for knowledge is not strictly dependent on age but on innate disposition, prior cultivation, and clarity of mind.

What is happening in the narrative?

Yudhiṣṭhira, hearing about Śukadeva’s exceptional wisdom, asks how Śuka—despite being a child—developed such subtle understanding, noting that he has not seen anyone else comparable in this world.