Shloka 3

Gṛhastha-vṛtti and Niyama: Models of Householder Livelihood and Discipline (गृहस्थवृत्ति-नियमाः)

Devanagari script

सत्त्ववन्तो महाभागा: पश्यन्ति प्रभवाप्ययौ | एवं धर्मेण वर्तेत क्रियां शिष्टवदाचरेत्‌

Transliteration

sattvavanto mahābhāgāḥ paśyanti prabhavāpyayau | evaṃ dharmeṇa varteta kriyāṃ śiṣṭavad ācaret |

Translation

Vyāsa dit : Ceux qui sont pourvus de pureté d’être et comblés d’une grande fortune discernent clairement la naissance du monde et sa dissolution. Aussi faut-il vivre selon le dharma et accomplir ses devoirs avec la conduite disciplinée des hommes cultivés et exemplaires.

Word by Word

• सत्त्ववन्तः: possessed of sattva/virtue
• सत्त्ववन्तः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्त्ववत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• महाभागाः: greatly fortunate/noble
• महाभागाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाभाग
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• पश्यन्ति: they see/know
• पश्यन्ति: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: Present, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• प्रभव: origin/creation
• प्रभव: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभव
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अप्ययौ: dissolution/decay (pralaya)
• अप्ययौ: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अप्यय
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• एवम्: thus/in this manner
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम्

• धर्मेण: by/according to dharma
• धर्मेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• वर्तेत: one should behave/live
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृत्
• Form: Optative, Third, Singular, Atmanepada

• क्रियाम्: conduct/practice/action
• क्रियाम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रिया
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• शिष्टवत्: like the cultured/learned
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शिष्टवत्

• आचरेत्: one should practice/observe
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर्
• Form: Optative, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

व्यास उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vyāsa
• śiṣṭa (the cultured/exemplary persons)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

True ethical life is grounded in dharma and modeled on the conduct of śiṣṭas (cultured exemplars). Those established in sattva have clear insight into the transient nature of the world—its arising and dissolution—so one should perform duties and actions with disciplined, righteous propriety.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the didactic setting of the Śānti Parva, Vyāsa delivers instruction emphasizing that spiritually refined and fortunate people discern cosmic processes (creation and dissolution). Using that insight as authority, he urges proper dharmic conduct and the imitation of exemplary social-ethical standards.