ಪ್ರಶ್ನೋತ್ತರರತ್ನಮಾಲಿಕಾ
Prasnottara Ratna Malika in Kannada · ಕನ್ನಡ
ನಿಮ್ಮ ಭಾಷೆ/ಲಿಪಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಓದಿ
ಮೂಲ & ಕಥೆ
Didactic prakarana ascribed to Adi Shankaracharya · Adi Shankaracharya (traditional attribution) · Classical (traditionally 8th century CE)
The Prasnottara Ratna Malika is a beloved short work of Sanskrit gnomic verse cast as a dialogue of questions and answers. Tradition attributes it to Adi Shankaracharya, who is said to have composed it as a 'garland of gems' of wisdom that any seeker might wear at the throat — that is, keep ever in memory. Each crisp answer crystallizes a lesson of ethics, discrimination or the spiritual path. Its blend of worldly prudence and Vedantic insight has kept it popular for centuries as a guide for students and seekers alike; some manuscripts also associate it with the Jain teacher Vimala or with King Amoghavarsha, but the Advaita tradition holds it as Shankara's.
✦ ಶಾಸ್ತ್ರಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಹೇಳಿದಂತೆ
It is traditionally said that whoever keeps this 'gem-garland' at the throat — committing its question-and-answer verses to heart — is adorned more truly than by any jewel, for its wisdom quietly guards him from folly and ripens, verse by verse, into the discrimination that leads to liberation.
ಅರ್ಥದೊಂದಿಗೆ ಪೂರ್ಣ ಪಾಠ
ಯಾವುದೇ ಸಾಲನ್ನು ಅಥವಾ ▶ ಬಟನ್ ಒತ್ತಿ ಕೇಳಿ
ಕಃ ಖಲು ನಾಲಙ್ಕ್ರಿಯತೇ ದೃಷ್ಟಾದೃಷ್ಟಾರ್ಥಸಾಧನಪಟೀಯಾನ್। ಅಮುಯಾ ಕಣ್ಠಸ್ಥಿತಯಾ ಪ್ರಶ್ನೋತ್ತರರತ್ನಮಾಲಿಕಯಾ॥೧॥
kaḥ khalu nālaṅkriyate dṛṣṭādṛṣṭārtha-sādhana-paṭīyān | amuyā kaṇṭha-sthitayā praśnottara-ratna-mālikayā ||1||
ಅರ್ಥ:Who, indeed, skilled in attaining the goals both of this world and the next, is not adorned by this gem-garland of questions and answers, worn ever at the throat (kept in memory)? (1)
ಭಗವನ್ ಕಿಮುಪಾದೇಯಂ ಗುರುವಚನಂ ಹೇಯಮಪಿ ಕಿಮಕಾರ್ಯಮ್। ಕೋ ಗುರುರಧಿಗತತತ್ತ್ವಃ ಶಿಷ್ಯಹಿತಾಯೋದ್ಯತಃ ಸತತಮ್॥೨॥
bhagavan kim upādeyaṃ guru-vacanaṃ heyam api kim akāryam | ko gurur adhigata-tattvaḥ śiṣya-hitāyodyataḥ satatam ||2||
ಅರ್ಥ:O Lord, what is worth accepting? — the word of the guru. What ought to be shunned? — every forbidden deed. Who is a true guru? — one who has realized the Truth and is ever intent on the welfare of his disciples. (2)
ತ್ವರಿತಂ ಕಿಂ ಕರ್ತವ್ಯಂ ವಿದುಷಾಂ ಸಂಸಾರಸನ್ತತಿಚ್ಛೇದಃ। ಕಿಂ ಮೋಕ್ಷತರೋರ್ಬೀಜಂ ಸಮ್ಯಗ್ಜ್ಞಾನಂ ಕ್ರಿಯಾಸಿದ್ಧಮ್॥೩॥
tvaritaṃ kiṃ kartavyaṃ viduṣāṃ saṃsāra-santati-cchedaḥ | kiṃ mokṣa-taror bījaṃ samyag-jñānaṃ kriyā-siddham ||3||
ಅರ್ಥ:What should the wise do without delay? — cut through the chain of birth and death. What is the seed of the tree of liberation? — right knowledge fulfilled in action. (3)
ಕಃ ಪಥ್ಯತರೋ ಧರ್ಮಃ ಕಃ ಶುಚಿರಿಹ ಯಸ್ಯ ಮಾನಸಂ ಶುದ್ಧಮ್। ಕಃ ಪಣ್ಡಿತೋ ವಿವೇಕೀ ಕಿಂ ವಿಷಮವಧೀರಣಾ ಗುರುಷು॥೪॥
kaḥ pathyataro dharmaḥ kaḥ śucir iha yasya mānasaṃ śuddham | kaḥ paṇḍito vivekī kiṃ viṣam avadhīraṇā guruṣu ||4||
ಅರ್ಥ:Which is the most wholesome dharma? (that which harms none). Who is pure here? — one whose mind is pure. Who is learned? — the man of discrimination. What is poison? — disrespect toward one's teachers. (4)
ಕಿಂ ಸಂಸಾರೇ ಸಾರಂ ಬಹುಶೋಽಪಿ ವಿಚಿನ್ತ್ಯಮಾನಮಿದಮೇವ। ಕಿಂ ಮನುಜೇಷ್ವಿಷ್ಟತಮಂ ಸ್ವಪರಹಿತಾಯೋದ್ಯತಂ ಜನ್ಮ॥೫॥
kiṃ saṃsāre sāraṃ bahuśo'pi vicintyamānam idam eva | kiṃ manujeṣv iṣṭatamaṃ sva-para-hitāyodyataṃ janma ||5||
ಅರ್ಥ:What, though pondered again and again, is the (only) essence in worldly life? — just this (the wisdom taught here). What is most worth having among men? — a birth devoted to the good of oneself and others. (5)
ಮದಿರೇವ ಮೋಹಜನಕಃ ಕಃ ಸ್ನೇಹಃ ಕೇ ಚ ದಸ್ಯವೋ ವಿಷಯಾಃ। ಕಾ ಭವವಲ್ಲೀ ತೃಷ್ಣಾ ಕೋ ವೈರೀ ಯಸ್ತ್ವನುದ್ಯೋಗಃ॥೬॥
madireva moha-janakaḥ kaḥ snehaḥ ke ca dasyavo viṣayāḥ | kā bhava-vallī tṛṣṇā ko vairī yas tv anudyogaḥ ||6||
ಅರ್ಥ:What attachment intoxicates and deludes like wine? — excessive fondness. Who are the thieves? — the objects of the senses. What is the creeper of worldly bondage? — craving. Who is the (true) foe? — one's own lack of effort. (6)
ಕಸ್ಮಾದ್ಭಯಮಿಹ ಮರಣಾದನ್ಧಾದಿಹ ಕೋ ವಿಶಿಷ್ಯತೇ ರಾಗೀ। ಕಃ ಶೂರೋ ಯೋ ಲಲನಾಲೋಚನಬಾಣೈರ್ನ ಚ ವ್ಯಥಿತಃ॥೭॥
kasmād bhayam iha maraṇād andhād iha ko viśiṣyate rāgī | kaḥ śūro yo lalanā-locana-bāṇair na ca vyathitaḥ ||7||
ಅರ್ಥ:Of what should one be afraid here? — of death (i.e. of the bondage that leads to repeated death). Who is more blind than the blind? — the passion-driven man. Who is the (real) hero? — he who is not wounded by the arrow-like glances of women. (7)
ಪಾತುಂ ಕರ್ಣಾಞ್ಜಲಿಭಿಃ ಕಿಮಮೃತಮಿಹ ಯುಜ್ಯತೇ ಸದುಪದೇಶಃ। ಕಿಂ ಗುರುತಾಯಾ ಮೂಲಂ ಯದೇತದಪ್ರಾರ್ಥನಂ ನಾಮ॥೮॥
pātuṃ karṇāñjalibhiḥ kim amṛtam iha yujyate sad-upadeśaḥ | kiṃ gurutāyā mūlaṃ yad etad aprārthanaṃ nāma ||8||
ಅರ್ಥ:What nectar is fit to be drunk through the cupped hands of the ears? — good counsel. What is the root of (true) greatness? — to ask nothing (of anyone). (8)
ಕಿಂ ಗಹನಂ ಸ್ತ್ರೀಚರಿತಂ ಕಶ್ಚತುರೋ ಯೋ ನ ಖಣ್ಡಿತಸ್ತೇನ। ಕಿಂ ದುಃಖಮಸನ್ತೋಷಃ ಕಿಂ ಲಾಘವಮಧಮತೋ ಯಾಚ್ಞಾ॥೯॥
kiṃ gahanaṃ strī-caritaṃ kaś caturo yo na khaṇḍitas tena | kiṃ duḥkham asantoṣaḥ kiṃ lāghavam adhamato yācñā ||9||
ಅರ್ಥ:What is unfathomable? — the ways of the deceitful. Who is (really) clever? — he who is not deceived by them. What is sorrow? — discontent. What is (real) degradation? — begging from a base person. (9)
ಕಿಂ ಜೀವಿತಮನವದ್ಯಂ ಕಿಂ ಜಾಡ್ಯಂ ಪಾಠತೋಽಪ್ಯನಭ್ಯಾಸಃ। ಕೋ ಜಾಗರ್ತಿ ವಿವೇಕೀ ಕಾ ನಿದ್ರಾ ಮೂಢತಾ ಜನ್ತೋಃ॥೧೦॥
kiṃ jīvitam anavadyaṃ kiṃ jāḍyaṃ pāṭhato'py anabhyāsaḥ | ko jāgarti vivekī kā nidrā mūḍhatā jantoḥ ||10||
ಅರ್ಥ:What life is blameless? — (one free of fault). What is dullness? — failure to practise even what one has studied. Who is awake? — the man of discernment. What is the sleep of a creature? — its delusion. (10)
ನಲಿನೀದಲಗತಜಲವತ್ತರಲಂ ಕಿಂ ಯೌವನಂ ಧನಂ ಚಾಯುಃ। ಕಥಯ ಪುನಃ ಕೇ ಶಶಿನಃ ಕಿರಣಸಮಾಃ ಸಜ್ಜನಾ ಏವ॥೧೧॥
nalinī-dala-gata-jalavat taralaṃ kiṃ yauvanaṃ dhanaṃ cāyuḥ | kathaya punaḥ ke śaśinaḥ kiraṇa-samāḥ sajjanā eva ||11||
ಅರ್ಥ:What is as fickle as a water-drop on a lotus leaf? — youth, wealth and life. And tell again, who are cool and gracious as the rays of the moon? — the virtuous, and they alone. (11)
ಪದ-ಪದ ಅರ್ಥ
ಉಚ್ಚಾರಣೆ ಕೇಳಲು ಯಾವುದೇ ಪದವನ್ನು ಕ್ಲಿಕ್ ಮಾಡಿ
Prasnottara Ratna Malika ಪಾರಾಯಣದ ಪ್ರಯೋಜನಗಳು
Imparts practical wisdom and ethical discrimination (viveka) in an easy question-and-answer form
Each verse is a memorable maxim, ideal for daily reflection on right conduct and values
Guides the seeker toward the 'seed of liberation' — right knowledge fulfilled in action
Cultivates contentment, self-effort and dispassion by naming the real enemy, foe and sorrow
Excellent for teaching children and students the essentials of dharma and discernment
Steadies the mind in sattvic values and turns it gently toward the goal of moksha
Prasnottara Ratna Malika ಪಾರಾಯಣ ವಿಧಿ
Read or recite the question-and-answer verses slowly, pausing after each to absorb the lesson it teaches. Because the work is meant to be 'worn at the throat' (kept in memory), it is best learned by heart a few verses at a time and recalled through the day as a guide to conduct. Reflect on each answer and apply it to your own life; a single thoughtful reading is more valuable than rapid repetition.
ಪದೇ ಪದೇ ಕೇಳುವ ಪ್ರಶ್ನೆಗಳು
ಇವನ್ನೂ ಓದಿ
ॐ
ಪೂರ್ಣ Prasnottara Ratna Malikaವನ್ನು ಶ್ಲೋಕ-ಶ್ಲೋಕ ಅರ್ಥದೊಂದಿಗೆ ಓದಿ, ಅಥವಾ ಇನ್ನಷ್ಟು ಪವಿತ್ರ ಪಾಠಗಳನ್ನು ನೋಡಿ