Shloka 7

Ātma-saṃyama-dharma: One-pointedness of Mind and Senses (शुक–व्यास संवादः)

Devanagari script

परम ऋषियोंने ब्रह्मचर्यके पालनसे ही उत्तम लोकोंपर विजय पायी है; अतः मन-ही- मन अपने कल्याणकी इच्छा रखकर पहले ब्रह्मचर्यका पालन करे ।।

Transliteration

vyāsa uvāca | paramarṣibhir brahmacaryapālanenaiva uttamalokānāṃ vijayo labdhaḥ; ataḥ manasā svakalyāṇecchayā pūrvaṃ brahmacaryaṃ pālayet || vane mūlaphalāśī ca tapyan suviphulaṃ tapaḥ | puṇyāyatanacārī ca bhūtānām avihiṃsakaḥ ||

Translation

Vyāsa said: The supreme seers conquered the highest worlds precisely through the observance of brahmacarya. Therefore, desiring one’s own welfare within the mind, one should first uphold brahmacarya. Then, taking refuge in the discipline of forest-dwelling, one should live in the woods on roots and fruits, apply oneself to abundant austerity, move among holy places, and ensure that no living being is harmed by one’s actions.

Word by Word

• वने: in the forest
• वने: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• मूलफलाशी: one who eats roots and fruits
• मूलफलाशी: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मूलफलाशिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• तप्यन्: performing austerity
• तप्यन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: तप्
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सुविपुलम्: very great
• सुविपुलम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुविपुल
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• तपः: austerity, penance
• तपः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• पुण्यायतनचारी: one who moves about in holy places (merit-abodes)
• पुण्यायतनचारी: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्यायतनचारिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• भूतानाम्: of living beings
• भूतानाम्: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• अविहिंसकः: non-injuring, not harming
• अविहिंसकः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अविहिंसक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

व्यास उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vyāsa
• parama-ṛṣis (supreme seers)
• uttama-lokas (higher worlds)
• vana (forest)
• puṇyāyatanas (holy places/tīrthas)
• bhūtas (living beings)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Spiritual attainment is grounded in disciplined self-restraint: brahmacarya is presented as the primary foundation, followed by forest-dwelling austerity, pilgrimage to holy places, and unwavering non-violence toward all beings.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Vyāsa’s instruction within the Śānti Parva’s dharma discourse, he outlines an ascetic progression: first the observance of brahmacarya, then adopting vānaprastha-like practices—subsisting on forest produce, undertaking intense tapas, visiting sacred sites, and maintaining ahiṃsā.