Shloka 6

सूक्ष्मभूत-भूतात्मविज्ञानम्

Knowing the subtle principle and the bhūtātman through yoga

Devanagari script

अश्वस्तनविधाता स्यान्मुनिर्भावसमाहित: । लघ्वाशी नियताहार: सकृदन्ननिषेविता,वह दूसरे दिनके लिये अन्नका संग्रह न करे। चित्त-वृत्तियोंको एकाग्र करके मौनभावसे रहे। हलका और नियमानुकूल भोजन करे तथा दिन-रातमें केवल एक ही बार अन्न ग्रहण करे

Transliteration

aśvastana-vidhātā syān munir bhāva-samāhitaḥ | laghvāśī niyatāhāraḥ sakṛd-anna-niṣevitā ||

Translation

Vyāsa disse: “O sábio não deve guardar provisões para o dia seguinte. Com as faculdades interiores reunidas num só ponto, deve permanecer em silêncio e compostura. Deve comer com leveza, de modo disciplinado e regulado, e tomar alimento apenas uma vez no dia e na noite.”

Word by Word

अश्वस्तनविधाताone who provides (food) for the next day (i.e., stores for tomorrow)

स्यात्should be

मुनिःsage

भावसमाहितःwith mind/inner state collected; mentally concentrated

लघ्वाशीone who eats lightly

नियताहारःregulated in diet; having controlled food-intake

सकृत्once

अन्ननिषेविताone who partakes of food (only once)

Speaker

व्यास उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vyāsa

muni (sage)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches ascetic restraint: do not hoard food for tomorrow, keep the mind collected and quiet, eat lightly with regulated discipline, and limit oneself to a single meal within the day-night cycle.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the didactic setting of Śānti Parva, Vyāsa lays down practical rules of conduct for a muni—guidelines for daily living that cultivate detachment, simplicity, and mental concentration.