Shloka 86

Devanagari script

स्थाणुभूतो निराहारो मोक्षदृष्टेन कर्मणा | परिव्रजेति यो युक्तस्तस्य धर्म: सनातन:,जो युक्तचित्त होकर संन्यासी होता है और मोक्षोपयोगी कर्म श्रवण, मनन, निदिध्यासन आदिके द्वारा समय व्यतीत करता हुआ निराहार (विषयसेवनसे रहित) और ठूठे काठकी भाँति स्थिर रहता है, उसको सनातन धर्मका मोक्षरूप धर्म प्राप्त होता है

Transliteration

sthāṇubhūto nirāhāro mokṣadṛṣṭena karmaṇā | parivrajeti yo yuktaḥ tasya dharmaḥ sanātanaḥ ||

Translation

Maheshvara sprach: Wer mit gezügeltem Geist als wandernder Entsagender lebt—frei von Hingabe an Sinnesobjekte, unbeweglich wie ein Pfahl, und seine Zeit in Handlungen verbringt, die auf Befreiung ausgerichtet sind—der erlangt die ewige Dharma, deren Gestalt selbst mokṣa ist.

Word by Word

स्थाणुभूतःhaving become like a post; motionless

निराहारःwithout food; abstaining (from sense-enjoyments)

मोक्षदृष्टेनseen as (leading to) liberation; liberation-oriented

कर्मणाby/through action (practice)

परिव्रजwander forth; become a renunciant

इतिthus

यःwho

युक्तःdisciplined; engaged; devoted

तस्यof him

धर्मःduty; dharma

सनातनःeternal; perennial

Speaker

श्रीमहेश्वर उवाच

Characters & Entities

Śrī-Maheśvara (Śiva)

parivrājaka (wandering renunciant)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

True renunciation is defined by inner discipline: freedom from sense-indulgence, unwavering steadiness, and conduct aimed at liberation. Such a life is called the eternal dharma culminating in moksha.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Anushasana Parva’s instruction on dharma, Maheshvara describes the marks of a genuine renunciant (parivrājaka): restrained, steady, and engaged in liberation-oriented practice rather than worldly pursuits.