Shloka 3

Akṣara–Kṣara Viveka: Vasiṣṭha–Karāla-Janaka Saṃvāda (अक्षर-क्षर विवेकः)

Devanagari script

आयुर्न सुलभं लब्ध्वा नावकर्षेद्‌ विशाम्पते । उत्कर्षार्थ प्रयतेत नर: पुण्येन कर्मणा

Transliteration

āyur na sulabhaṃ labdhvā nāvakārṣed viśāṃpate | utkarṣārthaṃ prayateta naraḥ puṇyena karmaṇā prajānātha ||

Translation

Parāśara sprach: O Herr der Menschen, die Lebensspanne im menschlichen Leib ist nicht leicht zu erlangen; sie ist ein seltenes Gut. Hat man sie gewonnen, soll man das Selbst nicht hinabziehen. Vielmehr soll der Mensch unablässig nach innerer Erhebung streben, indem er verdienstvolle Taten vollbringt.

Word by Word

• {'āyuḥ': 'life

• lifespan', 'na sulabham': 'not easy to obtain

• rare', 'labdhvā': 'having obtained

• having gained', 'na avakārṣet (nāvakārṣet)': 'should not pull down

• should not degrade', 'viśāṃpate': 'O lord of the subjects/people (honorific address to a king)', 'utkarṣa': 'uplift

• excellence', 'artham': 'for the sake of

• with the aim of', 'prayateta': 'should strive

• should make effort', 'naraḥ': 'a man

• a person', 'puṇyena': 'by merit

• through virtuous merit', 'karmaṇā': 'by action

• by deeds', 'prajānātha': 'O protector/lord of the people'}

Speaker

पराशर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Parāśara
• viśāṃpati (king/lord of the people)
• prajānātha (protector of subjects)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Human life is a rare opportunity; one should not waste it in self-degrading conduct but should actively pursue moral and spiritual uplift through virtuous actions (puṇya-karma).

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma and right living, the sage Parāśara addresses a ruler (lord of the people), urging him to value the rarity of human life and to encourage continual ethical striving.