Shloka 4

प्रतीप–गङ्गा संवादः तथा शंतनु–गङ्गा विवाहशर्तिः

Pratīpa and Gaṅgā; Śaṃtanu’s marriage condition

Devanagari script

स्ववीर्यजीवी वृजिनान्निवृत्तो दाता परेभ्यो न परोपतापी । तादृड़मुनि: सिद्धिमुपैति मुख्यां वसन्नरण्ये नियताहारचेष्ट:,वानप्रस्थ मुनि वनमें निवास करे। आहार और विहारको नियमित रखे। अपने ही पराक्रम एवं परिश्रमसे जीवन-निर्वाह करे, पापसे दूर रहे। दूसरोंको दान दे और किसीको कष्ट न पहुँचावे। ऐसा मुनि परम मोक्षको प्राप्त होता है

Transliteration

svavīryajīvī vṛjinān nivṛtto dātā parebhyo na paropatāpī | tādṛṅ munīḥ siddhim upaiti mukhyāṁ vasan araṇye niyatāhāraceṣṭaḥ ||

Translation

वानप्रस्थ मुनिने वनात निवास करावा आणि आहार-विहार नियमबद्ध ठेवावा. स्वतःच्या पराक्रम व परिश्रमाने उपजीविका करावी, पापापासून दूर राहावे. इतरांना दान द्यावे आणि कोणालाही दुःख देऊ नये. असा मुनि परम सिद्धी—मोक्ष—प्राप्त करतो.

Word by Word

स्ववीर्यजीवीliving by his own prowess/effort

वृजिनात्from sin/evil

निवृत्तःturned away, refraining

दाताa giver

परेभ्यःto others

नnot

परोपतापीone who causes trouble to others

तादृक्such

मुनिःsage

सिद्धिम्attainment, perfection

उपैतिattains, reaches

मुख्याम्chief, supreme

वसन्dwelling

अरण्येin the forest

नियताहारचेष्टःwith regulated food and activity

Speaker

अद्टक उवाच

Characters & Entities

Aṣṭaka

muni

araṇya (forest)

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 defines the ethical discipline of a forest-ascetic: live by one’s own effort, avoid sin, give to others, do not harm anyone, and regulate food and conduct; such a life leads to the highest spiritual attainment (moksha).

What is happening in the narrative?

Aṣṭaka is describing the ideal qualities and practices of a muni living in the forest (vanaprastha/ascetic mode), presenting a normative teaching on how such a person should live and what fruit that discipline yields.