Shloka 10

Devanagari script

ऐहलौकिकमीहन्ते मांसशोणितवर्धनम्‌ | पारलौकिककार्येषु प्रसुप्ता भूशनास्तिका:,अत्यन्त नास्तिक मनुष्य केवल इस लोकके स्वार्थको चाहते हुए शरीरमें मांस और रक्तको बढ़ाने-वाली चेष्टा ही करते रहते हैं। पारलौकिक कार्योंकी ओरसे तो वे सदा सोये ही रहते हैं

Transliteration

aihalaukikam īhante māṁsaśoṇitavardhanam | pāralaukikakāryeṣu prasuptā bhūśanāstikāḥ ||

Translation

Vyāsa sprach: „Diese Menschen mühen sich nur um das, was zu dieser Welt gehört—um Anstrengungen, die bloß Fleisch und Blut mehren. Den Werken aber, die für die andere Welt bestimmt sind, stehen sie wie Schlafende gegenüber, in gänzlichem Unglauben.“

Word by Word

ऐहलौकिकम्worldly (pertaining to this world)

ईहन्तेthey strive/endeavour

मांसशोणितवर्धनम्increase of flesh and blood

पारलौकिककार्येषुin matters/acts for the other world (afterlife)

प्रसुप्ताःasleep, inert

भूषणाःornaments; (figuratively) mere show/decoration

नास्तिकाःatheists/deniers (of the other world)

Speaker

व्यास उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vyāsa

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?

A life aimed only at bodily growth and worldly gain is spiritually asleep; one should awaken to pāralaukika duties—ethical and dharmic actions oriented to lasting welfare beyond mere physical nourishment.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma and right living, Vyāsa characterizes extreme nāstikas as people absorbed in worldly pursuits, neglecting duties connected with the next world and moral consequence.