Shloka 256

Ātma-saṃyama-dharma: One-pointedness of Mind and Senses (शुक–व्यास संवादः)

Devanagari script

सेवेत तान्‌ समावृत्य इति धर्मेषु निश्चय: । जिन-जिन गन्धों और रसोंका ब्रह्मचारीको सेवन नहीं करना चाहिये

Transliteration

sevet tān samāvṛtya iti dharmeṣu niścayaḥ |

Translation

ಸಮಾವರ್ತನದ ನಂತರವೇ ಅವನ್ನು ಸೇವಿಸಬೇಕು— ಇದು ಧರ್ಮದ ನಿಶ್ಚಯ. ಬ್ರಹ್ಮಚಾರಿಯು ಯಾವ ಯಾವ ಗಂಧಗಳನ್ನೂ ರಸಗಳನ್ನೂ ಸೇವಿಸಬಾರದೆಂದು ವಿಧಿಸಲ್ಪಟ್ಟಿದೆಯೋ, ಅವನ್ನು ಬ್ರಹ್ಮಚರ್ಯಕಾಲದಲ್ಲಿ ತ್ಯಜಿಸಬೇಕು; ಸಮಾವರ್ತನ-ಸಂಸ್ಕಾರದ ಬಳಿಕ ಮಾತ್ರ ಅವನ್ನು ಅನುಭವಿಸಬಹುದು.

Word by Word

• सेवेत: should use/should partake/should serve
• Type: Verb
• Root: सेव्
• Form: Vidhi-ling, Optative (potential), 3rd, Singular, Atmanepada

• तान्: those (them)
• तान्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• समावृत्य: having returned (after completion)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-वृत्
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund), क्त्वा (lyap), Parasmaipada/Atmanepada-neutral (absolutive)

• इति: thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति

• धर्मेषु: in matters of dharma / among duties
• धर्मेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Plural

• निश्चयः: decision; settled conclusion
• निश्चयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: निश्चय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

व्यास उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vyāsa
• samāvartana (graduation rite)
• brahmacarya (student stage)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Sense-enjoyments that are restricted for a brahmacārin should be renounced during the period of studentship and may be taken up only after samāvartana; dharma is defined here as disciplined timing and restraint, not mere denial.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma and right conduct, Vyāsa states a normative rule for the student stage: abstain from certain pleasures during brahmacarya and partake only after the formal completion of training marked by samāvartana.