Shloka 3

Devanagari script

ते5पश्यन्‌ पुलिने तं वै विविक्ते नियतव्रतम्‌ । समासीन निराहारं द्विजं जप्पपरायणम्‌

Transliteration

te’paśyan puline taṃ vai vivikte niyatavratam | samāsīnaṃ nirāhāraṃ dvijaṃ jappaparāyaṇam ||

Translation

رأوا على ضفة النهر، في موضعٍ منعزل، براهمنًا ثابتًا على نذوره وملازمًا لآداب الانضباط—جالسًا بلا طعام، مُنصرفًا بكليّته إلى ترديد المانترا المقدّسة. ويُبرز هذا المشهد المثال الأخلاقي لضبط النفس والعبادة الباطنة، حيث يُبتغى الجهد الروحي بعيدًا عن المباهاة والتشتيت.

Word by Word

• ते: they
• ते: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• अपश्यन्: saw
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: Imperfect (Lan), 3, Plural, Parasmaipada

• पुलिने: on the sandbank/riverbank
• पुलिने: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुलिन
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• वै: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै

• विविक्ते: in a secluded (place)
• विविक्ते: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विविक्त
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• नियतव्रतम्: one of restrained vows
• नियतव्रतम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नियत-व्रत
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• समासीनम्: seated
• समासीनम्: Karma
• Type: Participle
• Root: सम्-आस्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular, क्त (past passive participle, used adjectivally)

• निराहारम्: fasting; without food
• निराहारम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्-आहार
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• द्विजम्: a brahmin (twice-born)
• द्विजम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• जपपरायणम्: devoted to mantra-recitation
• जपपरायणम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जप-परायण
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• भीष्म (Bhīṣma) (speaker)
• द्विज (a Brahmin)
• पुलिन (riverbank/sandbank)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse foregrounds dharmic discipline: steadfast vows (vrata-niyama), fasting (nirāhāra), and inward devotion through mantra-repetition (japa). Ethical strength is shown as self-mastery pursued in solitude, not for recognition.

What is happening in the narrative?

Some observers come upon a Brahmin sitting alone on a riverbank. He is fasting and absorbed in japa, indicating a life of regulated vows and spiritual practice, setting the stage for a teaching or encounter centered on ascetic merit and dharma.