Shloka 23
Brahmā’s Instruction on Brahmacarya, Vānaprastha, and the Aliṅga Path
Ethics of Non-attachment
Devanagari script
नास्वादयीत भुगज्जानो रसांश्व मधुरांस्तथा । यात्रामात्रं च भुज्जीत केवलं प्राणधारणम्
Transliteration
nāsvādayīt bhugjāno rasān madhurāṃs tathā | yātrāmātraṃ ca bhuñjīta kevalaṃ prāṇadhāraṇam ||
Translation
नास्वादयीत भुञ्जानो रसांश्च मधुरांस्तथा। यात्रामात्रं च भुञ्जीत केवलं प्राणधारणम्॥
Word by Word
नnot
न:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन
आस्वादयीतshould taste/enjoy
आस्वादयीत:
TypeVerb
Rootआस्वद्
FormVidhi-lin (optative), present-system (injunctive/optative sense), 3rd, singular, Parasmaipada, Active
भुञ्जानःeating (one who eats)
भुञ्जानः:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootभुज्
FormShatr (present active participle), masculine, nominative, singular
रसान्tastes/flavours
रसान्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootरस
Formmasculine, accusative, plural
चand
च:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच
मधुरान्sweet
मधुरान्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootमधुर
Formmasculine, accusative, plural
तथाlikewise/also
तथा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतथा
यात्रामात्रम्only what suffices for sustenance
यात्रामात्रम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootयात्रा-मात्र
Formneuter, accusative, singular
चand
च:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच
भुञ्जीतshould eat
भुञ्जीत:
TypeVerb
Rootभुज्
FormVidhi-lin (optative), present-system (injunctive/optative sense), 3rd, singular, Parasmaipada, Active
केवलम्only/merely
केवलम्:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootकेवल
प्राणधारणम्maintenance of life (keeping the vital breaths)
प्राणधारणम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootप्राण-धारण
Formneuter, accusative, singular
Speaker
वायुदेव उवाच
Characters & Entities
V
Vāyu-deva (Wind-god)Character Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
Practice restraint in eating: do not eat for pleasure (especially not for sweet tastes), but take only what is necessary to sustain life. The ethical emphasis is on mastery over the senses and moderation.
Vāyu-deva is giving an instruction (a prescriptive rule) about disciplined conduct: food should be taken as mere sustenance, not as an occasion for sensory indulgence.