Shloka 2

Āśrama-dharma and Brahmacarya: Śuka’s Inquiry on Karma and Tyāga (शुक-प्रश्नः कर्मत्यागविवेकश्च)

Devanagari script

जातकर्मप्रभृत्यस्य कर्मणां दक्षिणावताम्‌ | क्रिया स्यादासमावृत्तेराचार्ये वेदपारगे,ब्राह्मणग-बालकके जातकर्मसे लेकर समावर्तनतक समस्त संस्कार वेदोंके पारंगत विद्वान्‌ आचार्यके निकट रहकर सम्पन्न होने चाहिये और उनमें समुचित दक्षिणा देनी चाहिये

Transliteration

jātakarmaprabhṛtyasya karmaṇāṁ dakṣiṇāvatām | kriyā syād ā-samāvṛtter ācārye vedapārage ||

Translation

જાતકર્મથી આરંભ કરીને સમાવર્તન સુધી, યોગ્ય દક્ષિણાસહ કરવાના બધા સંસ્કાર અને કર્તવ્યો વેદપારંગત આચાર્યના સાન્નિધ્યમાં રહીને જ સંપન્ન કરવા જોઈએ।

Word by Word

जातकर्मप्रभृत्यस्यbeginning with the birth-rite (jātakarma), etc.

कर्मणाम्of the rites/ceremonies

दक्षिणावताम्accompanied by (proper) fees/gifts (dakṣiṇā)

क्रियाthe performance (of rites)

स्यात्should be / ought to be

आसमावृत्तेःuntil the samāvartana (graduation/return-rite)

आचार्येwith/at the teacher

वेदपारगेwho is well-versed in the Vedas

Speaker

व्यास उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vyāsa

ācārya (teacher)

Veda

jātakarma

samāvartana

dakṣiṇā

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

All life‑cycle sacraments from birth rites through graduation should be performed under a Veda‑learned teacher, and the performer/teacher should be duly honored with appropriate dakṣiṇā—linking discipline, tradition, and gratitude.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma and right conduct, Vyāsa states a rule for proper upbringing and education: the student’s rites and formation are to be completed while living with a competent ācārya, up to samāvartana.