Shloka 8
Adhyāya 112: Ṛṣyaśṛṅga’s Description of an Exemplary Brahmacārī
Ascetic Presence and Vow-Practice
यथा वन॑ माधवमासि मध्ये समीरितं श्वसनेनेव भाति । तथा स भात्युत्तमपुण्यगन्धी निषेव्यमाण: पवनेन तात,तात! जैसे माधवमास (वैशाख या वसंत ऋतु) में (सौरभयुक्त मलय-) समीरसे सेवित वन-उपवनकी शोभा होती है, उसी प्रकार पवनदेवसे सेवित वह ब्रह्मचारी उत्तम एवं पवित्र गन्धसे सुवासित और सुशोभित हो रहा था
yathā vanaṁ mādhavamāsi madhye samīritaṁ śvasanen eva bhāti | tathā sa bhāty uttama-puṇya-gandhī niṣevyamāṇaḥ pavanena tāta ||
Ṛśyaśṛṅga berkata: “Wahai anakku, sebagaimana rimba di tengah bulan Mādhava berseri apabila digerakkan oleh bayu yang laksana nafas kehidupan, demikianlah brahmacārin itu bersinar—harum dengan wangi yang terbaik lagi menyucikan—tatkala Dewa Angin melayaninya dan mengipasnya.”
ऋष्यशुड्र उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that disciplined purity (brahmacarya) has a palpable radiance, and when supported by auspicious forces (symbolized by Pavana), inner virtue becomes outwardly evident—like a spring forest enlivened by a gentle breeze.
R̥ṣyaśṛṅga describes the striking presence of a brahmacārin: as the spring forest looks beautiful when the wind moves through it, so the ascetic appears splendid and sweetly fragrant, as though attended by the Wind-god himself.