Upanishads · Mahā 2.36
॥
Devanāgarī
श्रुणु तावदिदानीं त्वं कथ्यमानमिदं मया श्रीशुकं ज्ञानविस्तारं बुद्धिसारान्तरान्तरम्
Transliteration (IAST)
śruṇu tāvadidānīṃ tvaṃ kathyamānamidaṃ mayā śrīśukaṃ jñānavistāraṃ buddhisārāntarāntaram
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
शृणु तावत् इदानीम् त्वम्śṛṇu tāvat idānīm tvamhear then now thou; listen therefore now
कथ्यमानम् इदम् मयाkathyamānam idam mayāthis that is being told by me; to what shall be related by me
श्री-शुक ज्ञान-विस्तारम्śrī-śuka jñāna-vistāramO Śrī Śuka, the expanse of knowledge; O honoured Śuka, the fullness of knowing
बुद्धि-सार-अन्तर-अन्तरम्buddhi-sāra-antara-antaramthe innermost core of reason; the very heart of understanding's marrow
Translation
“Hear now, O honoured Śuka, what I shall tell — the expanse of knowledge, the innermost core of reason.”
Version
763849a8ebc2 · published Jul 29, 2026, 6:29:20 AM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Janaka begins his answer, and from this verse to the chapter's end it is he who speaks.
The expression buddhi-sāra-antara-antara is deliberately redundant: “the inside of the inside of reason's marrow”. So one speaks when one wishes to say: beyond this there is nowhere to go.
Note that the king addresses Śuka as “Śrī Śuka” — with honour. He who is about to become the teacher takes no tone of superiority in doing so.
And more: the word śṛṇu, “hear”. All that went before — the road, the gate, the trial — was preparation for Śuka's becoming able to hear. Now one may speak.