Shloka 10
अज्ञान–लोभयोः परस्परहेतुत्वम्
Mutual Causality of Ignorance and Greed
यो मर्त्य: प्रतिपद्येत आयुर्जीवितमात्मन: । यज्ञमेकान्तत: कृत्वा तत् संन्यस्य तपश्चरेत्
yo martyaḥ pratipadyeta āyur jīvitam ātmanaḥ | yajñam ekāntataḥ kṛtvā tat saṃnyasya tapaś caret |
Śaunaka berkata: “Jika seorang manusia menginginkan umur panjang bagi dirinya, hendaklah dia terlebih dahulu melaksanakan yajña dengan tekun dan sepenuh tumpuan; kemudian, setelah meninggalkan jalan korban itu, hendaklah dia menumpukan diri kepada tapa (austeriti).”
शौनक उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches a two-step ethical-spiritual path: first fulfill disciplined ritual duty (yajña) with focused commitment, then move beyond external acts through renunciation and sustained austerity (tapas). Longevity is linked to regulated living and inner purification rather than mere desire.
Śaunaka is speaking in an instructive context, stating what a person should do if he aims for long life: perform sacrifice with single-minded effort, then renounce that ritual engagement and take up austerity, indicating a progression from outward dharma to inward self-control.