Shloka 256

Ātma-saṃyama-dharma: One-pointedness of Mind and Senses (शुक–व्यास संवादः)

Devanagari script

सेवेत तान्‌ समावृत्य इति धर्मेषु निश्चय: । जिन-जिन गन्धों और रसोंका ब्रह्मचारीको सेवन नहीं करना चाहिये

Transliteration

sevet tān samāvṛtya iti dharmeṣu niścayaḥ |

Translation

Dies ist der feststehende Schluss des Dharma: Der Brahmacārin soll sich zügeln. Welche Düfte und Geschmäcke er nicht genießen darf, die soll er während der Zeit des brahmacarya aufgeben. Erst nach der samāvartana (dem rituellen Abschluss des Schülerstandes) darf er daran teilhaben; so lautet die Entscheidung des Dharma.

Word by Word

• सेवेत: should use/should partake/should serve
• Type: Verb
• Root: सेव्
• Form: Vidhi-ling, Optative (potential), 3rd, Singular, Atmanepada

• तान्: those (them)
• तान्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• समावृत्य: having returned (after completion)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-वृत्
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund), क्त्वा (lyap), Parasmaipada/Atmanepada-neutral (absolutive)

• इति: thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति

• धर्मेषु: in matters of dharma / among duties
• धर्मेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Plural

• निश्चयः: decision; settled conclusion
• निश्चयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: निश्चय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

व्यास उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vyāsa
• samāvartana (graduation rite)
• brahmacarya (student stage)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Sense-enjoyments that are restricted for a brahmacārin should be renounced during the period of studentship and may be taken up only after samāvartana; dharma is defined here as disciplined timing and restraint, not mere denial.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma and right conduct, Vyāsa states a normative rule for the student stage: abstain from certain pleasures during brahmacarya and partake only after the formal completion of training marked by samāvartana.