Shloka 13
सूक्ष्मभूत-भूतात्मविज्ञानम्
Knowing the subtle principle and the bhūtātman through yoga
अहेरिव गणादू् भीत: सौहित्यान्नरकादिव । कुणपादिव च स्त्रीभ्यस्तं देवा ब्राह्मणं विदु:
aher iva gaṇād bhītaḥ sauhityān narakād iva | kuṇapād iva ca strībhyaḥ taṃ devā brāhmaṇaṃ viduḥ ||
Vyāsa dit : Les dieux reconnaissent comme un véritable brāhmaṇa—connaisseur de Brahman—celui qui redoute la foule comme on redoute un serpent ; qui se tient loin de la satisfaction née des mets riches et savoureux comme on se tient loin de l’enfer ; et qui se détourne des femmes comme d’un cadavre, vivant ainsi dans la retenue et le détachement.
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse praises radical restraint: avoiding the dangers of social entanglement (crowds), resisting sensual gratification (rich food and satiety), and cultivating dispassion toward sexual attraction—presented as marks of an ideal brāhmaṇa, i.e., one oriented to Brahman rather than pleasure.
In the didactic setting of Śānti Parva, Vyāsa states a criterion by which the gods themselves ‘recognize’ a true brāhmaṇa: a person whose conduct shows fear of worldly snares and strong renunciation, expressed through vivid similes (snake, hell, corpse).