उपनिषद् · Mahā 2.25
॥
देवनागरी
तत्रोन्मदाभिः कान्ताभिर्भोजनैर्भोगसंचयैः जनको लालयामास शुकं शशिनिभाननम्
लिप्यंतरण (IAST)
tatronmadābhiḥ kāntābhirbhojanairbhogasaṃcayaiḥ janako lālayāmāsa śukaṃ śaśinibhānanam
शब्दशः अर्थ
संस्कृतIASTअर्थ
तत्र उन्मदाभिः कान्ताभिःtatra unmadābhiḥ kāntābhiḥthere with intoxicated beauties; there with charmers drunk on their own youth
भोजनैः भोग-संचयैःbhojanaiḥ bhoga-saṃcayaiḥwith dishes, with heaps of delights; with viands and piles of pleasures
जनकः लालयामास शुकम्janakaḥ lālayāmāsa śukamJanaka pampered Śuka; Janaka indulged Śuka
शशि-निभ-आननम्śaśi-nibha-ānanamthe moon-faced one; him whose face was like the moon
अनुवाद
There Janaka pampered the moon-faced Śuka with intoxicated beauties, dishes and heaps of delights.
संस्करण
5812a85594d5 · प्रकाशित 29 जुल॰ 2026, 6:29:20 am UTC
उपलब्ध भाषाएँRUENश्लोक बदलें इन कुंजियों से
The trial is named outright, without allegory, and the book does not pretend it a trifle.
The detail about Śuka — “moon-faced” — is set here with purpose. He is young and handsome. The beauties in the palace are no abstract threat.
Note that Janaka acts not as a tempter but as a cordial host: the word lālayāmāsa means “he pampered, indulged”, as one indulges a dear guest. Nothing improper is proposed aloud. A man is simply given everything.
This is the most exact test of renunciation there is. To refuse what is not offered you is easy; such renunciation cannot be verified.
Here it is offered.