Shloka 18

Varṇāśrama-ācāra and Vikarma: Yudhiṣṭhira’s Inquiry on Safe Dharmas (शिवधर्मप्रश्नः)

Devanagari script

स्मरन्नेको जपन्नेक: सर्वानिको युधिष्ठिर । एकस्मिन्नेव चाचार्ये शुश्रूषुमलपड्कवान्‌

Transliteration

smarann eko japann ekaḥ sarvān eko yudhiṣṭhira | ekasminn eva cācārye śuśrūṣum alapaṅkavān ||

Translation

Bhishma berkata, “Wahai Yudhiṣṭhira, seorang brahmacārin hendaknya hidup dengan keteguhan satu arah—sendiri dalam ingatan, sendiri dalam japa, dan sendiri dalam menuntaskan segala kewajibannya. Sekalipun tubuhnya kotor oleh debu dan lumpur, ia harus tetap sigap melayani, dan mengabdikan diri semata-mata pada pelayanan kepada satu guru.”

Word by Word

• स्मरन्: remembering
• स्मरन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: शतृ (वर्तमान कृदन्त), पुं, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• एकः: alone / single
• एकः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• जपन्: muttering/reciting (a mantra)
• जपन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: जप् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ (वर्तमान कृदन्त), पुं, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• एकः: alone
• एकः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• सर्वान्: all
• सर्वान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• इको: a single one (one person)
• इको: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: इक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• युधिष्ठिर: O Yudhiṣṭhira
• युधिष्ठिर: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: युधिष्ठिर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• एकस्मिन्: in/with one (single)
• एकस्मिन्: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुं, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• एव: indeed / only
• एव: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• च: and
• च: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• आचार्ये: in/with the teacher
• आचार्ये: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: आचार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• शुश्रूषुम्: desirous of serving
• शुश्रूषुम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुश्रूषु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अलपङ्कवान्: even if having dirt/mud (on the body)
• अलपङ्कवान्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अलपङ्कवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Yudhiṣṭhira
• ācārya (the teacher)
• brahmacārin (student in celibate discipline)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A brahmacārin should cultivate ekāgratā (single-pointedness): steady remembrance and mantra-recitation, completion of duties without distraction, and exclusive, eager service to one ācārya—placing duty and humility above personal comfort.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma instructs Yudhiṣṭhira on dharma after the war. Here he outlines the conduct of a Vedic student: solitary focus in study and japa, and unwavering attendance upon the teacher, even when physically inconvenienced.