Shloka 3

Akṣara–Kṣara Viveka: Vasiṣṭha–Karāla-Janaka Saṃvāda (अक्षर-क्षर विवेकः)

Devanagari script

आयुर्न सुलभं लब्ध्वा नावकर्षेद्‌ विशाम्पते । उत्कर्षार्थ प्रयतेत नर: पुण्येन कर्मणा

Transliteration

āyur na sulabhaṃ labdhvā nāvakārṣed viśāṃpate | utkarṣārthaṃ prayateta naraḥ puṇyena karmaṇā prajānātha ||

Translation

Parāśara said: O lord of the people, the span of human life is not easily obtained; it is a rare attainment. Having gained it, one should not drag the self downward. Rather, one should continually strive for inner elevation through the performance of meritorious deeds.

Word by Word

• {'āyuḥ': 'life

• lifespan', 'na sulabham': 'not easy to obtain

• rare', 'labdhvā': 'having obtained

• having gained', 'na avakārṣet (nāvakārṣet)': 'should not pull down

• should not degrade', 'viśāṃpate': 'O lord of the subjects/people (honorific address to a king)', 'utkarṣa': 'uplift

• excellence', 'artham': 'for the sake of

• with the aim of', 'prayateta': 'should strive

• should make effort', 'naraḥ': 'a man

• a person', 'puṇyena': 'by merit

• through virtuous merit', 'karmaṇā': 'by action

• by deeds', 'prajānātha': 'O protector/lord of the people'}

Speaker

पराशर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Parāśara
• viśāṃpati (king/lord of the people)
• prajānātha (protector of subjects)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Human life is a rare opportunity; one should not waste it in self-degrading conduct but should actively pursue moral and spiritual uplift through virtuous actions (puṇya-karma).

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma and right living, the sage Parāśara addresses a ruler (lord of the people), urging him to value the rarity of human life and to encourage continual ethical striving.