Shloka 11

Sanatsujāta on Vedic Learning, Truth (Satya), and the Discipline of Dama–Tyāga–Apramāda

Devanagari script

शिष्यवृत्तिक्रमेणैव विद्यामाप्रोति यः शुचि: । ब्रह्मचर्यव्रतस्यास्य प्रथम: पाद उच्यते

Transliteration

śiṣyavṛttikrameṇaiva vidyām āpnoti yaḥ śuciḥ | brahmacaryavratasya asya prathamaḥ pāda ucyate ||

Translation

Sanatsujāta sprach: „Wer reinen Sinnes ist und wahre Erkenntnis erlangt, indem er Schritt für Schritt der disziplinierten Lebensführung folgt, die von einem Schüler erwartet wird—dies wird als das erste ‘Viertel’ (pāda), das Fundament, dieses Brahmacarya-Gelübdes erklärt.“

Word by Word

शिष्यवृत्तिक्रमेणby the sequence/method of a student's conduct

एवindeed/only

विद्याम्knowledge/learning

आप्नोतिattains/obtains

यःwho

शुचिःpure/clean

ब्रह्मचर्यव्रतस्यof the vow of brahmacarya (celibate studentship)

अस्यof this

प्रथमःfirst

पादःstep/quarter (part)

उच्यतेis said/is called

Speaker

सनत्सुजात उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sanatsujāta

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Knowledge is not gained merely by hearing doctrines; it is grounded in disciplined student-conduct (śiṣyavṛtti) practiced in proper sequence. Such purity and regulated living are presented as the first foundational part of the brahmacarya-vow.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Sanatsujāta’s instruction (within Udyoga Parva), he outlines the components of brahmacarya and the path to higher knowledge, identifying disciplined discipleship and purity as the initial ‘pāda’—the starting foundation for the observance.