Shloka 4
Vānaprastha-vṛtti and the Transition toward the Fourth Āśrama (वानप्रस्थवृत्तिः चतुर्थाश्रमोपक्रमश्च)
यच्छेद् वाडुमनसी बुद्धया य इच्छेज्ज्ञानमुत्तमम्
yacched vāḍu-manasī buddhyā ya icchej jñānam uttamam
Vyāsa said: One who longs for the highest knowledge should, by the power of discernment, restrain and rein in speech and the mind—bringing them under the governance of intellect.
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
Supreme knowledge is approached through inner discipline: speech and mind must be restrained and directed by buddhi (discriminating intellect), rather than allowed to run outward toward impulse and distraction.
In the didactic setting of the Śānti Parva, Vyāsa delivers a concise instruction on sādhana: the seeker of the highest jñāna should practice control of speech and mind through the guiding faculty of intellect.