Shloka 13

तृष्णाक्षय-उपदेशः

Instruction on the Cessation of Craving

Devanagari script

प्रागगर्भाधानान्मन्त्रा हि प्रवर्तन्ते द्विजातिषु । अविश्रम्भेषु वर्तन्ते विश्रम्भेष्वप्पसंशयम्‌,ब्राह्मण, क्षत्रिय और वैश्य--तीनों वर्णोमें गर्भाधानसे पहले वेदमन्त्रोंका उच्चारण किया जाता है। फिर लौकिक और पारलौकिक सभी कार्योंमें निस्संदेह उन वेदमन्त्रोंकी प्रवृत्ति होती है

Transliteration

prāg garbhādhānān mantrā hi pravartante dvijātiṣu | aviśrambheṣu vartante viśrambheṣv apy asaṁśayam ||

Translation

カピラは言った。「二度生まれた者（ドヴィジャ）においては、ヴェーダのマントラは受胎の儀（ガルバーダーナ）以前からすでに働き始める。それらは公的で儀礼的な行為においても、また親しい私的な場においても、疑いなく作用する。」

Word by Word

प्राक्before

गर्भाधानात्from (the rite of) conception/impregnation

मन्त्राःVedic mantras

हिindeed/for

प्रवर्तन्तेproceed/are set in motion/are employed

द्विजातिषुamong the twice-born (Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya)

अविश्रम्भेषुin (matters) without familiarity/without trust

वर्तन्तेoperate/are used/occur

विश्रम्भेषुin (matters) with familiarity/with trust

अपिalso/even

असंशयम्undoubtedly

Speaker

कपिल उवाच

Characters & Entities

Kapila

dvijāti (twice-born classes)

garbhādhāna-saṁskāra

Vedic mantras

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Kapila emphasizes the pervasive authority of Vedic mantras for the twice-born: their ritual force begins even prior to conception rites and extends across both formal public duties and private, familiar contexts.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s didactic dialogue, Kapila is explaining principles of dharma and Vedic practice, highlighting how mantra-based rites structure the life-cycle and conduct of the dvija communities.