Shloka 1
Adhyātma-krama: Indriya–Manas–Buddhi–Ātman Hierarchy and Citta-Prasāda (आध्यात्मक्रमः)
भीकम (2 अमान अष्टात्रिशर्दाधिकद्विशततमो< ध्याय: नाना प्रकारके भूतोंकी समीक्षापूर्वक कर्मतत्त्वका विवेचन, युगधर्मका वर्णन एवं कालका महत्त्व व्यास उवाच एषा पूर्वतरा वृत्तित्राह्मणस्य विधीयते । ज्ञानवानेव कर्माणि कुर्वन् सर्वत्र सिध्यति,व्यासजी कहते हैं--बेटा! यह ब्राह्मणकी अत्यन्त प्राचीनकालसे चली आयी हुई वृत्ति है, जो शास्त्रविहित है। ज्ञानवान् मनुष्य ही सर्वत्र कर्म करता हुआ सिद्धि प्राप्त करता है
vyāsa uvāca | eṣā pūrvatārā vṛttir brāhmaṇasya vidhīyate | jñānavān eva karmāṇi kurvan sarvatra sidhyati ||
Vyāsa said: “My child, this is the most ancient, time-honored mode of life prescribed for a brāhmaṇa. Only a person endowed with true knowledge—while continuing to act—attains success everywhere.”
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
That prescribed duty and livelihood (vṛtti) become truly fruitful when guided by knowledge (jñāna): the wise person succeeds by performing actions in accordance with śāstra rather than abandoning action or acting blindly.
Vyāsa begins an instruction in Śānti Parva, affirming an ancient, śāstra-sanctioned brāhmaṇa way of life and setting the principle that knowledge is the key that makes one’s ongoing actions lead to accomplishment.