Shloka 5

Varṇāśrama-ācāra and Vikarma: Yudhiṣṭhira’s Inquiry on Safe Dharmas (शिवधर्मप्रश्नः)

Devanagari script

तत्रारण्यकशास्त्राणि समधीत्य स धर्मवित्‌ । ऊर्ध्वरेता: प्रव्रजित्वा गच्छत्यक्षरसात्मताम्‌

Transliteration

tatrāraṇyakśāstrāṇi samadhītya sa dharmavit | ūrdhvaretaḥ pravrajitvā gacchaty akṣarasātmatām ||

Translation

ਉੱਥੇ ਧਰਮ-ਵਿਦ ਪੁਰਖ ਆਰਣ੍ਯਕ ਸ਼ਾਸਤਰਾਂ ਦਾ ਭਲੀਭਾਂਤ ਅਧਿਐਨ ਕਰਕੇ ਵਾਨਪ੍ਰਸਥ-ਧਰਮ ਦਾ ਪਾਲਣ ਕਰੇ। ਫਿਰ ਊਰਧ੍ਵਰੇਤਾ ਹੋ ਕੇ, ਵਿਧੀ ਅਨੁਸਾਰ ਪ੍ਰਵ੍ਰਜ੍ਯਾ (ਸੰਨਿਆਸ) ਗ੍ਰਹਿਣ ਕਰੇ; ਅਤੇ ਇਸ ਤਰ੍ਹਾਂ ਉਹ ਅਕਸ਼ਰ—ਅਵਿਨਾਸ਼ੀ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ—ਦੀ ਆਤਮਤਾ ਨੂੰ ਪ੍ਰਾਪਤ ਹੁੰਦਾ ਹੈ।

Word by Word

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र
• Form: indeclinable (locative adverb)

• आरण्यकशास्त्राणि: the Aranyaka scriptures/treatises
• आरण्यकशास्त्राणि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: आरण्यक-शास्त्र
• Form: neuter, accusative, plural

• समधीत्य: having studied
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + अधि + इ (अध्ययने)
• Form: absolutive (क्त्वा/ल्यप्), active; indeclinable

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• धर्मवित्: knower of dharma
• धर्मवित्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मविद्
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• ऊर्ध्वरेताः: one of restrained continence (lit. with upward semen)
• ऊर्ध्वरेताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ऊर्ध्वरेतस्
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• प्रव्रजित्वा: having gone forth (renounced)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + व्रज् (गत्यर्थे)
• Form: absolutive (क्त्वा), active; indeclinable

• गच्छति: goes/attains
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (गत्यर्थे)
• Form: present tense (लट्), 3rd person, singular, parasmaipada

• अक्षरसात्मताम्: identity/oneness with the imperishable (Brahman)
• अक्षरसात्मताम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अक्षर-सात्मता
• Form: feminine, accusative, singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse outlines a graded spiritual path within the āśrama framework: study of contemplative Vedic teachings (Āraṇyakas), disciplined forest-dweller life (vānaprastha), then celibate renunciation (pravrajyā/sannyāsa), culminating in realization of the Imperishable—Brahman.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma instructs Yudhiṣṭhira on dharma after the war. Here he describes how a dharma-knower should progress from forest discipline and scriptural study to formal renunciation, presenting liberation as the ethical and spiritual end of this progression.