Shloka 3

Akṣara–Kṣara Viveka: Vasiṣṭha–Karāla-Janaka Saṃvāda (अक्षर-क्षर विवेकः)

Devanagari script

आयुर्न सुलभं लब्ध्वा नावकर्षेद्‌ विशाम्पते । उत्कर्षार्थ प्रयतेत नर: पुण्येन कर्मणा,प्रजानाथ! मनुष्य-शरीरकी आयु सुलभ नहीं है--वह दुर्लभ वस्तु है, उसे पाकर आत्माको नीचे नहीं गिराना चाहिये। मनुष्यको चाहिये कि वह पुण्यकर्मके अनुष्ठानद्वारा आत्माके उत्थानके लिये सदा प्रयत्न करता रहे

Transliteration

āyur na sulabhaṃ labdhvā nāvakārṣed viśāṃpate | utkarṣārthaṃ prayateta naraḥ puṇyena karmaṇā prajānātha ||

Translation

Parāśara berkata: “Wahai pelindung rakyat, usia hidup sebagai manusia tidak mudah diperoleh; ia adalah capaian yang langka. Setelah mendapatkannya, jangan menyeret diri ke bawah. Hendaknya seseorang senantiasa berusaha menuju keluhuran batin melalui perbuatan-perbuatan bajik.”

Word by Word

• {'āyuḥ': 'life

• lifespan', 'na sulabham': 'not easy to obtain

• rare', 'labdhvā': 'having obtained

• having gained', 'na avakārṣet (nāvakārṣet)': 'should not pull down

• should not degrade', 'viśāṃpate': 'O lord of the subjects/people (honorific address to a king)', 'utkarṣa': 'uplift

• excellence', 'artham': 'for the sake of

• with the aim of', 'prayateta': 'should strive

• should make effort', 'naraḥ': 'a man

• a person', 'puṇyena': 'by merit

• through virtuous merit', 'karmaṇā': 'by action

• by deeds', 'prajānātha': 'O protector/lord of the people'}

Speaker

पराशर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Parāśara
• viśāṃpati (king/lord of the people)
• prajānātha (protector of subjects)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Human life is a rare opportunity; one should not waste it in self-degrading conduct but should actively pursue moral and spiritual uplift through virtuous actions (puṇya-karma).

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma and right living, the sage Parāśara addresses a ruler (lord of the people), urging him to value the rarity of human life and to encourage continual ethical striving.