Shloka 3
ते5पश्यन् पुलिने तं वै विविक्ते नियतव्रतम् । समासीन निराहारं द्विजं जप्पपरायणम्,उन्होंने देखा, ब्राह्मण गोमतीके तटपर एकान्त प्रदेशमें व्रत और नियमके पालनमें तत्पर हो निराहार बैठा हुआ है और मन्त्रका जप कर रहा है
te’paśyan puline taṃ vai vivikte niyatavratam | samāsīnaṃ nirāhāraṃ dvijaṃ jappaparāyaṇam ||
They saw, on the riverbank in a secluded spot, a Brahmin steadfast in vows and disciplined observances—seated without food, wholly devoted to the repetition of sacred mantras. The scene highlights the ethical ideal of self-restraint and inner worship, where spiritual effort is pursued away from display and distraction.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse foregrounds dharmic discipline: steadfast vows (vrata-niyama), fasting (nirāhāra), and inward devotion through mantra-repetition (japa). Ethical strength is shown as self-mastery pursued in solitude, not for recognition.
Some observers come upon a Brahmin sitting alone on a riverbank. He is fasting and absorbed in japa, indicating a life of regulated vows and spiritual practice, setting the stage for a teaching or encounter centered on ascetic merit and dharma.