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

Sejak upacara kelahiran (jātakarma) hingga samāvartana, semua saṁskāra dan kewajiban yang harus disertai dakṣiṇā yang semestinya hendaknya dilaksanakan dengan tinggal di bawah bimbingan ācārya yang mahir dalam Veda.

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.