Shloka 9
प्रतीप–गङ्गा संवादः तथा शंतनु–गङ्गा विवाहशर्तिः
Pratīpa and Gaṅgā; Śaṃtanu’s marriage condition
ययातिरुवाच अरण्ये वसतो यस्य ग्रामो भवति पृष्ठत: । ग्रामे वा वसतो5रण्यं स मुनि: स्थाज्जनाधिप,ययातिने कहा--जनेश्वर! अरण्यमें निवास करते समय जिसके लिये ग्राम पीछे होता है और ग्राममें वास करते समय जिसके लिये अरण्य पीछे होता है, वह मुनि कहलाता है
yayātir uvāca: araṇye vasato yasya grāmo bhavati pṛṣṭhataḥ | grāme vā vasato 'raṇyaṃ sa muniḥ syāj janādhipa ||
Yayāti dijo: «Oh señor de los hombres, es verdaderamente un sabio aquel para quien, aun viviendo en el bosque, la aldea queda ‘detrás’ (sin apego), y aun viviendo en la aldea, el bosque queda ‘detrás’ (sin que cambie su desapego interior).»
अष्टक उवाच
Educational Q&A
A true muni is defined by inner detachment, not by external setting: whether in forest or village, he keeps both ‘behind’—neither worldly life nor ascetic environment becomes an object of dependence or pride.
Yayāti addresses a king (janādhipa) and offers a criterion for recognizing a sage: the sage’s mind remains free from attachment to either social life (grāma) or solitary austerity (araṇya), treating both as secondary to inner discipline.