Shloka 37

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

Devanagari script

अलोलुपो&व्यथो दान्तो न कृती न निराकृति: । नास्येन्द्रियमनेकाग्रं न विक्षिप्तमनोरथ:

Transliteration

vyāsa uvāca | alolupo 'vyatho dānto na kṛtī na nirākṛtiḥ | nāsyendriyam anekāgraṃ na vikṣiptamanorathaḥ ||

Translation

ବ୍ୟାସ କହିଲେ—ସେ ଲୋଭରହିତ, ବ୍ୟଥାରହିତ ଓ ଦାନ୍ତ (ଇନ୍ଦ୍ରିୟଜିତ) । ନ ସେ ଅତିକ୍ରିୟାର ଉନ୍ମାଦରେ ଚାଳିତ, ନ ବାହ୍ୟ ଦେଖାଦେଖିରେ ପରିଚିତ। ତାହାର ଇନ୍ଦ୍ରିୟଗୁଡ଼ିକ ଅନେକ ଦିଗକୁ ଛିଟିଯାଏ ନାହିଁ, ଏବଂ ଚଞ୍ଚଳ ଇଚ୍ଛା ତାହାର ମନୋରଥକୁ ବିକ୍ଷିପ୍ତ କରେ ନାହିଁ।

Word by Word

• अलोलुपः: not greedy, non-covetous
• अलोलुपः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अलोलुप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अव्यथः: untroubled, free from distress
• अव्यथः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अव्यथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• दान्तः: self-controlled, subdued
• दान्तः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दान्त (प्रातिपदिक; दम्-धातोः क्त)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)

• कृती: one who is intent on action/achievement; a doer
• कृती: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)

• निराकृतिः: one who rejects/repels; one who turns away (from things)
• निराकृतिः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निराकृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)

• अस्य: of him, his
• अस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• इन्द्रियम्: sense-organ(s); faculty
• इन्द्रियम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• अनेकाग्रम्: not fixed on many points; not scattered in many directions
• अनेकाग्रम्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनेकाग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)

• विक्षिप्तम्: distracted, thrown about
• विक्षिप्तम्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विक्षिप्त (प्रातिपदिक; क्षिप्-धातोः क्त, वि-उपसर्ग)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• मनोरथः: desire, wish (lit. chariot of the mind)
• मनोरथः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनोरथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

व्यास उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vyāsa
• indriya (the senses)
• manoratha (mental desires/aims)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse defines the inner marks of a liberated-minded knower: freedom from greed, calmness, self-restraint, and a mind not scattered by shifting desires. Liberation is linked to steadiness and non-dependence on external identity or compulsive achievement.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on peace and liberation, Vyāsa continues a didactic description of the sāṅkhya-yogin (the wise practitioner), listing qualities that characterize one who is moving beyond worldly bondage.