Upanishads · Mahā 2.23
॥
Devanāgarī
ततः प्रवेशयामास जनकः शुकमङ्गणे तत्राहानि स सप्तैव तथैवावसदुन्मनाः
Transliteration (IAST)
tataḥ praveśayāmāsa janakaḥ śukamaṅgaṇe tatrāhāni sa saptaiva tathaivāvasadunmanāḥ
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
ततः प्रवेशयामास जनकःtataḥ praveśayāmāsa janakaḥthen Janaka let him in; after that Janaka admitted
शुकम् अङ्गणेśukam aṅgaṇeŚuka — into the courtyard; Śuka into the forecourt
तत्र अहानि सः सप्त एवtatra ahāni saḥ sapta evathere he for seven days too; and there for exactly seven days
तथा एव अवसत् उन्मनाःtathā eva avasat unmanāḥlived just so, detached in mind; abode likewise, untroubled in mind
Translation
Then Janaka let Śuka into the courtyard, and there too he lived seven days, remaining detached in mind.
Version
2dad090fbe3d · published Jul 29, 2026, 6:29:20 AM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The second week. The gate opened — but beyond the courtyard he was not admitted.
This is worse than a flat refusal. A refusal is definite; one can answer it by leaving. But here a man is let in and left: not a guest, not a petitioner, not expelled.
The word unmanāḥ here means “with a mind detached, unengaged” — Śuka does not count the days and does not look for explanations.
It is worth noting what he does not do. He does not remind them of himself. He does not invoke his father. He does not leave.
Had Śuka been a mere proud man, the first week would not have held him. But he stayed. So the unrest of which 2.12 spoke was real: he truly needs an answer, not recognition.