Shloka 4

Vānaprastha-vṛtti and the Transition toward the Fourth Āśrama (वानप्रस्थवृत्तिः चतुर्थाश्रमोपक्रमश्च)

Devanagari script

यच्छेद्‌ वाडुमनसी बुद्धया य इच्छेज्ज्ञानमुत्तमम्‌

Transliteration

yacched vāḍu-manasī buddhyā ya icchej jñānam uttamam

Translation

ヴィヤーサは言った。「最高の知を求める者は、分別の力によって言葉と心を抑え、手綱を取り、両者を बुद्धि（ブッディ、知性）の統御の下に置くべきである。」

Word by Word

• यत्: that (which)
• यत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• छेत्: should cut / should sever
• छेत्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: छिद्
• Form: optative (vidhi-lin), 3rd, singular

• वाक्: speech
• वाक्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाच्
• Form: feminine, accusative, singular

• मनसी: the two minds / mind (as a pair, i.e., mind and intellect)
• मनसी: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस्
• Form: neuter, accusative, dual

• बुद्धया: by/with intellect
• बुद्धया: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुद्धि
• Form: feminine, instrumental, singular

• यः: who
• यः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• इच्छेत्: should desire / should wish
• इच्छेत्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष्
• Form: optative (vidhi-lin), 3rd, singular

• ज्ञानम्: knowledge
• ज्ञानम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञान
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• उत्तमम्: highest, excellent
• उत्तमम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

Speaker

व्यास उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vyāsa

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Supreme knowledge is approached through inner discipline: speech and mind must be restrained and directed by buddhi (discriminating intellect), rather than allowed to run outward toward impulse and distraction.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the didactic setting of the Śānti Parva, Vyāsa delivers a concise instruction on sādhana: the seeker of the highest jñāna should practice control of speech and mind through the guiding faculty of intellect.