Shloka 3

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

Devanagari script

छिन्नदोषो मुनिर्योगान्‌ युक्तो युज्जीत द्वादश । देशकर्मानुरागार्थानुपायापायनिश्चयै:

Transliteration

chinnadoṣo munir yogān yukto yuñjīta dvādaśa | deśakarmānurāgārthān upāyāpāyaniścayaiḥ ||

Translation

ພຣະວະຍາສະກ່າວວ່າ: ນັກບວດຜູ້ຕັດຂໍ້ດ່າງພ້ອງຂອງຕົນແລ້ວ ແລະຕັ້ງຢູ່ໃນວິໄນ ຄວນຝຶກຍົກຍ້າຍຢູ່ໃນຍົກຍ້າຍຍົກຍ້າຍ (ຍົກຍ້າຍ) ທັງສິບສອງ ໂດຍວິນິດໃຫ້ແຈ້ງກ່ຽວກັບສະຖານທີ່ແລະການປະພຶດ, ກ່ຽວກັບຄວາມຍຶດຕິດແລະເປົ້າໝາຍຂອງມັນ, ແລະກ່ຽວກັບວິທີທີ່ຖືກຕ້ອງພ້ອມທັງອັນຕະລາຍ ຫຼືອຸປະສັກທີ່ອາດເກີດ—ເພື່ອໃຫ້ການຝຶກດໍາເນີນໄປຢ່າງມີລະບຽບ ແລະຖືກທໍາມະ.

Word by Word

छिन्नदोषःone whose faults are cut off (faultless)

मुनिःsage

योगान्yogas; disciplines/means of yoga

युक्तःyoked; disciplined; engaged

युज्जीतshould practice/should apply (himself)

द्वादशtwelve

देशकर्मानुरागार्थान्objects of attachment: place, action, affection, and purpose

उपायापायनिश्चयैःby determinations of means and avoidance (approach and withdrawal)

Speaker

व्यास उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vyāsa

muni (sage)

dvādaśa yogāḥ (twelve yogic disciplines)

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?

Purified character is the foundation of yoga: a sage free from faults should undertake disciplined practice, guided by clear discernment—choosing suitable place and conduct, understanding the pull and purpose of attachments, and judging both the right means and the risks that can derail progress.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the didactic setting of Śānti Parva, Vyāsa continues instructive discourse on spiritual discipline, outlining how a qualified sage should proceed—by engaging in a set of ‘twelve’ yogic practices while carefully evaluating context (place and action) and practical strategy (means versus dangers).