Shloka 6

Devanagari script

स मार्ममाश्रितो राजन्नृषीणामूर्ध्वरेतसाम्‌ । स्वाध्यायवान्‌ धर्मरतस्तपस्वी विजितेन्द्रिय:,राजन! वे ऊ्ध्वरेता मुनियोंके मार्ग (ब्रह्मचर्य)-का आश्रय लेकर सदा वेदोंके स्वाध्यायमें संलग्न और धर्मपालनमें तत्पर रहते थे। उन्होंने सम्पूर्ण इन्द्रियोंको वशमें कर लिया था और वे सदा तपस्यामें ही लगे रहते थे

Transliteration

sa mārgam āśrito rājann ṛṣīṇām ūrdhvaretasām | svādhyāyavān dharmaratas tapasvī vijitendriyaḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: “O King, he had taken refuge in the path followed by the sages of steadfast celibacy. Constantly devoted to Vedic self-study and intent on the practice of dharma, he was an ascetic who had conquered his senses, ever engaged in austerity.”

Word by Word

• [{'term': 'mārga', 'definition': 'path

• disciplined way of life'}, {'term': 'āśrita', 'definition': 'having resorted to

• taking refuge in'}, {'term': 'rājan', 'definition': 'O king (vocative address)'}, {'term': 'ṛṣi', 'definition': 'seer

• sage'}, {'term': 'ūrdhvaretas', 'definition': 'one whose vital energy is directed upward

• a celibate/continent ascetic (brahmacārī ideal)'}, {'term': 'svādhyāya', 'definition': 'Vedic study and recitation

• disciplined self-study'}, {'term': 'svādhyāyavān', 'definition': 'devoted to svādhyāya

• diligent in study'}, {'term': 'dharma-rata', 'definition': 'delighting in dharma

• committed to righteous conduct'}, {'term': 'tapasvī', 'definition': 'ascetic

• practitioner of austerities'}, {'term': 'vijita-indriya', 'definition': 'one who has conquered the senses

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• King (rājan)
• Ṛṣis (sages) of ūrdhvaretas

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Ethical strength is grounded in disciplined living: celibate restraint (ūrdhvaretas), steady Vedic study (svādhyāya), commitment to dharma, and mastery over the senses (vijitendriya) culminating in tapas.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana describes a person’s character to the king, emphasizing that he follows the ascetic path of the sages—studying the Veda, practicing dharma, controlling the senses, and performing austerities.