Shloka 4

Brahmā’s Instruction on Brahmacarya, Vānaprastha, and the Aliṅga Path

Ethics of Non-attachment

Devanagari script

द्विकालमन्निं जुद्दान: शुचिर्भूत्वा समाहित: । धारयीत सदा दण्डं बैल्वं पालाशमेव वा,पवित्र और एकाग्रचित्त होकर दोनों समय अग्निमें हवन करे। सदा बेल या पलाशका दण्ड लिये रहे

Transliteration

dvikālam agniṃ juhuyāt śucir bhūtvā samāhitaḥ | dhārayīta sadā daṇḍaṃ bailvaṃ pālāśam eva vā ||

Translation

ശുദ്ധനായി, ആത്മനിയന്ത്രണത്തോടെ, മനസ്സിനെ ഏകാഗ്രമാക്കി, ഇരുസന്ധ്യാകാലങ്ങളിലും പവിത്രാഗ്നിയിൽ ഹോമം ചെയ്യണം. എപ്പോഴും ബിൽവമരമോ പലാശമരമോ കൊണ്ടുള്ള ദണ്ഡം ധരിക്കണം.

Word by Word

द्विकालम्at the two times (morning and evening)

अग्निम्fire

जुहोत्should offer (oblation)

शुचिःpure

भूत्वाhaving become

समाहितःcollected, concentrated

धारयीतshould hold/bear

सदाalways

दण्डम्staff

बैल्वम्made of bilva wood

पालाशम्made of palāśa wood

एवindeed/just

वाor

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vāyu-deva

Agni (sacred fire)

daṇḍa (staff)

bilva (wood/tree)

palāśa (wood/tree)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches disciplined dharmic living: maintain purity, mental concentration, perform regular fire-offerings at both daily junctions (morning and evening), and uphold a visible symbol of restraint and vow through carrying an appropriate staff.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyu-deva is giving prescriptive guidance on proper conduct—ritual regularity (twice-daily homa), inner and outer cleanliness, and the ascetic marker of a staff made from bilva or palāśa—framing these as supports for sustained righteous practice.