Shloka 10

Devanagari script

केचिन्मोक्ष॑ प्रशंसन्ति केचिद्‌ यज्ञफलं द्विजा: । वानप्रस्थाश्रया: केचिद्‌ गार्हस्थ्यं केचिदास्थिता:

Transliteration

kecin mokṣaṁ praśaṁsanti kecid yajñaphalaṁ dvijāḥ | vānaprasthāśrayāḥ kecid gārhasthyaṁ kecid āsthitāḥ ||

Translation

ਬ੍ਰਾਹਮਣ ਨੇ ਕਿਹਾ—ਹੇ ਦ੍ਵਿਜੋ! ਕੋਈ ਮੋਖ਼ਸ਼ ਦੀ ਸਿਫ਼ਤ ਕਰਦਾ ਹੈ, ਕੋਈ ਯੱਗ ਦੇ ਫਲ ਦੀ। ਕੋਈ ਵਾਨਪ੍ਰਸਥ ਧਰਮ ਦਾ ਆਸਰਾ ਲੈਂਦਾ ਹੈ, ਤੇ ਕੋਈ ਗ੍ਰਿਹਸਥ ਧਰਮ ਵਿੱਚ ਹੀ ਟਿਕਿਆ ਰਹਿੰਦਾ ਹੈ।

Word by Word

• केचित्: some (people)
• केचित्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: क- (किम्-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• मोक्षम्: liberation
• मोक्षम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोक्ष
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• प्रशंसन्ति: praise
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-शंस्
• Form: Present, Indicative, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• केचित्: some (others)
• केचित्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: क- (किम्-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• यज्ञफलम्: the fruit/result of sacrifice
• यज्ञफलम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ-फल
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• द्विजाः: Brahmins / twice-born
• द्विजाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• वानप्रस्थाश्रयाः: those who take refuge in the forest-dweller (vānaprastha) mode
• वानप्रस्थाश्रयाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वानप्रस्थ-आश्रय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• केचित्: some (others)
• केचित्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: क- (किम्-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• गार्हस्थ्यम्: householder life/duty
• गार्हस्थ्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: गार्हस्थ्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• केचित्: some (others)
• केचित्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: क- (किम्-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• आस्थिताः: having adopted / resorted to
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-स्था
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural, क्त (past passive participle)

Speaker

ब्राह्मण उवाच

Characters & Entities

• brāhmaṇa (speaker)
• dvijāḥ (twice-born persons)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the plurality of dharmic aims and disciplines: some prioritize mokṣa (liberation), others pursue ritual action for its meritorious results, and people align themselves with different āśramas (householder or forest-dweller). It frames a discussion on how varied paths are advocated within the tradition.

What is happening in the narrative?

A brāhmaṇa speaker is describing the diversity of viewpoints among the twice-born regarding the highest good and proper conduct—contrasting praise of liberation with praise of sacrificial rewards, and noting differing commitments to the gṛhastha and vānaprastha stages.