Shloka 17

महाभूत–इन्द्रिय–मनस्–बुद्धि–अन्तरात्मा विवेकः | Discrimination of Elements, Senses, Mind, Intellect, and Inner Self

Devanagari script

सांकृति: सुदिवा तण्डियथावासो5कृतश्रम: । अहोवीर्यस्तथा काव्यस्ताण्ड्यो मेधातिथिबुध:,तात! इस युगमें भी सर्वार्थदर्शी ब्राह्मणोंने इस वानप्रस्थ-धर्मका पालन एवं प्रसार किया। अगस्त्य, सप्तर्षिगण, मधुच्छन्द, अघमर्षण, सांकृति, सुदिवा, तण्डि, यथावास, अकृतश्रम, अहोवीर्य, काव्य (शुक्राचार्य), ताण्ड्य, मेधातिथि, बुध, शक्तिशाली कर्ण निर्वाक, शून्यपाल और कृतश्रम--इन सबने इस धर्मका पालन किया, जिससे ये सभी स्वर्गलोकको प्राप्त हुए

Transliteration

sāṅkṛtiḥ sudivā taṇḍi yathāvāso'kṛtaśramaḥ | ahovīryas tathā kāvyas tāṇḍyo medhātithir budhaḥ ||

Translation

Vyāsa said: “Sāṅkṛti, Sudivā, Taṇḍi, Yathāvāsa, Akṛtaśrama, Aho-vīrya, Kāvyā (Śukrācārya), Tāṇḍya, Medhātithi, and Budha—these sages too observed the discipline of the forest-dweller (vānaprastha). By upholding and propagating this dharma even in later ages, they attained the heavenly worlds.”

Word by Word

सांकृतिःSāṅkṛti (a sage)

सुदिवाSudivā (a sage)

तण्डिःTaṇḍi (a sage)

यथावासःYathāvāsa (a sage)

अकृतश्रमःAkṛtaśrama (a sage; lit. 'one whose toil is not done/undergone')

अहोवीर्यःAhovīrya (a sage; lit. 'oh, (what) valor')

तथाand likewise

काव्यःKāvya (Śukrācārya)

ताण्ड्यःTāṇḍya (a sage)

मेधातिथिःMedhātithi (a sage)

बुधःBudha (a sage/the wise one)

तातO dear one / O son

Speaker

व्यास उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vyāsa

Sāṅkṛti

Sudivā

Taṇḍi

Yathāvāsa

Akṛtaśrama

Ahovīrya

Kāvya (Śukrācārya)

Tāṇḍya

Medhātithi

Budha

Svarga

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse reinforces the authority and continuity of vānaprastha-dharma: exemplary sages practiced disciplined withdrawal, austerity, and teaching, showing that this life-stage is a respected ethical path leading to spiritual merit and higher worlds.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma, Vyāsa cites a roster of revered figures as precedents—naming those who observed the forest-dweller discipline—thereby validating the practice through lineage and example.