Shloka 24

अरण्यवृत्ति-वैराग्योपदेशः | Forest Discipline and the Program of Non-Attachment

Devanagari script

अलाभे सति वा लाभे समदर्शी महातपा: । न जिजीविषुवत्‌ किंचिन्न मुमूर्षवदाचरन्‌

Transliteration

alābhe sati vā lābhe samadarśī mahātapāḥ | na jijīviṣuvat kiñcin na mumūrṣuvad ācaran |

Translation

尤提士提罗说道：“得亦如是，不得亦如是，我之观照恒常平等。我将安住于大苦行与自律之中，不作那等为求生之欲所驱者之行，亦不作那等为求死之欲所驱者之行。”

Word by Word

• अलाभे: in non-attainment / in loss
• अलाभे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अलाभ
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• सति: being (when there is)
• सति: Adhikarana
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस्
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Locative, Singular

• वा: or
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा

• लाभे: in gain / in attainment
• लाभे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: लाभ
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• समदर्शी: equanimous / seeing equally
• समदर्शी: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समदर्शिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• महातपाः: a great ascetic
• महातपाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महातपस्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• जिजीविषुवत्: like one desiring to live
• जिजीविषुवत्: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जिजीविषु
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• किंचित्: anything
• किंचित्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किंचित्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

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

• मुमूर्षुवत्: like one desiring to die
• मुमूर्षुवत्: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुमूर्षु
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• आचरन्: acting / behaving
• आचरन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-चर्
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

युधिछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Yudhiṣṭhira

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

To remain steady-minded in both gain and loss, and to avoid actions motivated by desperate attachment to life or by a morbid desire for death—choosing disciplined, dharmic conduct rooted in equanimity.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma and inner peace, Yudhiṣṭhira articulates a vow-like resolve: he will maintain impartiality toward outcomes and will not let fear, craving, or despair dictate his behavior.