Shloka 7
प्रतीप–गङ्गा संवादः तथा शंतनु–गङ्गा विवाहशर्तिः
Pratīpa and Gaṅgā; Śaṃtanu’s marriage condition
दशैव पूर्वान् दश चापरांश्व ज्ञातीनथात्मानमथैकविंशम् । अरण्यवासी सुकृते दधाति विमुच्यारण्ये स्वशरीरधातून्,जो वनवासी मुनि वनमें ही अपने पंचभूतात्मक शरीरका परित्याग करता है, वह दस पीढ़ी पूर्वके॑ और दस पीढ़ी बादके जाति-भाइयोंको तथा इक्कीसवें अपनेको भी पुण्यलोकोंमें पहुँचा देता है
daśaiva pūrvān daśa cāparāṁś ca jñātīn athātmānam athaikaviṁśam | araṇyavāsī sukṛte dadhāti vimucyāraṇye svaśarīradhātūn ||
Aṭaka dijo: «Quien habita en el bosque y, en esa misma espesura, abandona los elementos corporales que componen su cuerpo, establece un mérito de tal poder que eleva a diez generaciones de antepasados y a diez generaciones de descendientes de su linaje—y, como vigésimo primero, a sí mismo también—conduciéndolos a los reinos de bienaventurada recompensa».
अद्टक उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that austere, dharmic renunciation—especially a life of forest-dwelling culminating in relinquishing the body in the wilderness—generates extraordinary merit believed to benefit not only the practitioner but also their lineage: ten generations before and ten after.
Aṭaka is speaking about the spiritual efficacy of araṇyavāsa (forest life). He states a traditional doctrine of lineage-benefit: the merit of a forest ascetic who dies (relinquishes bodily constituents) in the forest can elevate ancestors and descendants along with himself.