Shloka 21

Vānaprastha-vṛtti and the Transition toward the Fourth Āśrama (वानप्रस्थवृत्तिः चतुर्थाश्रमोपक्रमश्च)

Devanagari script

अथ श्चैतां गतिं गत्वा वायव्यं सूक्ष्ममप्युत । अशुक्लं चेतस: सौक्ष्म्यमप्युक्तं ब्राह्मणस्य वै

Transliteration

atha ścaitāṁ gatiṁ gatvā vāyavyaṁ sūkṣmam apy uta | aśuklaṁ cetasaḥ saukṣmyam apy uktaṁ brāhmaṇasya vai ||

Translation

ବ୍ୟାସ କହିଲେ—ତାପରେ ସେ ଏହି ଗତିପଥରେ ଅଗ୍ରସର ହୋଇ ସୂକ୍ଷ୍ମ ବାୟବ୍ୟ ତତ୍ତ୍ୱକୁ ପ୍ରାପ୍ତ ହୁଏ ଏବଂ ତାହାକୁ ମଧ୍ୟ ଅତିକ୍ରମ କରେ। ବ୍ରହ୍ମ-ପ୍ରାପ୍ତିକାମୀ ବ୍ରାହ୍ମଣ ସାଧକଙ୍କ ପାଇଁ କୁହାଯାଇଛି—ତାଙ୍କର ଚିତ୍ତ ଅତ୍ୟନ୍ତ ସୂକ୍ଷ୍ମ ଓ ‘ଅଶୁକ୍ଲ’ ହୋଇଯାଏ, ଅର୍ଥାତ୍ ସାଧାରଣ ପ୍ରକଟ ଗୁଣଚିହ୍ନରେ ଚିହ୍ନିତ ରହେ ନାହିଁ; ଏହା ସ୍ଥୂଳ ଅହଂଭାବର ଅନ୍ତର୍ଲୟକୁ ସୂଚିତ କରେ।

Word by Word

• अथ: then/now
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• एताम्: this (f.)
• एताम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• गतिम्: course/going/state
• गतिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: गति
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• गत्वा: having gone
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral for ktvā)

• वायव्यम्: pertaining to Vāyu/windy; of the wind-element
• वायव्यम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वायव्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• सूक्ष्मम्: subtle
• सूक्ष्मम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सूक्ष्म
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अपि: also/even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• उत: and/also (emphatic)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उत

• अशुक्लम्: non-white; not bright/pure-white
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अशुक्ल
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• चेतसः: of the mind/consciousness
• Type: Noun
• Root: चेतस्
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• सौक्ष्म्यम्: subtlety
• Type: Noun
• Root: सौक्ष्म्य
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• अपि: also/even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• उक्तम्: said/declared
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), Neuter, Nominative, Singular, Passive (PPP sense)

• ब्राह्मणस्य: of the brāhmaṇa (sage/knower of Brahman)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• वै: indeed/verily
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै

Speaker

व्यास उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vyāsa
• vāyu (air/wind principle)
• brāhmaṇa (brahman-seeker)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches a yogic progression in which the practitioner’s consciousness becomes extremely subtle as one transcends the airy principle (vāyu-tattva). This subtlety of mind is presented as a sign of approaching brahman-realization, where gross self-awareness and ordinary qualities no longer dominate.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vyāsa describes an inner, contemplative process: after following a certain spiritual ‘course’ (gati), the seeker reaches even the subtle domain associated with vāyu. In that state, the mind of the brahman-seeking practitioner is said to become ‘aśukla’ and exceedingly subtle, indicating dissolution of grosser levels of experience.