Shloka 7
अन्तर्वन-विद्यारण्योपमा
The Allegory of the Inner Forest of Knowledge
तस्मिन् वने सप्त महाद्रुमाश्न फलानि सप्तातिथयश्न सप्त । सप्ताश्रमा: सप्त समाधयश्नव दीक्षाश्न सप्तैतदरण्यरूपम्
tasmin vane sapta mahādrumāḥ, sapta phalāni, sapta atithayaḥ (phalabhoktāraḥ) | sapta āśramāḥ, sapta samādhayaḥ, sapta dīkṣāś ca—etad araṇyarūpam ||
ବ୍ରାହ୍ମଣ କହିଲେ—ସେଇ ବନରେ ସାତଟି ମହାବୃକ୍ଷ ଅଛି; ସେମାନଙ୍କରେ ସାତଟି ଫଳ ଅଛି, ଏବଂ ସେଇ ଫଳ ଭୋଗ କରୁଥିବା ସାତଜଣ ଅତିଥି ଅଛନ୍ତି। ସେଠାରେ ସାତଟି ଆଶ୍ରମ ଅଛି; ସାତ ପ୍ରକାର ସମାଧି ଓ ସାତ ପ୍ରକାର ଦୀକ୍ଷା ମଧ୍ୟ ଅଛି। ଏହି ହେଉଛି ସେଇ ଅରଣ୍ୟର ସ୍ୱରୂପ।
ब्राह्मण उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames the forest as a disciplined moral-spiritual ecosystem: hospitality (atithi) and regulated practice (āśrama, dīkṣā) culminate in inner steadiness (samādhi). It suggests that true ‘wilderness’ is not chaos but an ordered field for dharma and self-cultivation.
A brāhmaṇa describes the distinctive features of a particular forest, enumerating sevenfold elements—trees, fruits, guests, hermitages, meditative states, and consecrations—presenting the place as a symbolic, structured arena of ascetic life and ethical observance.