Shloka 9

Devanagari script

प्रकृत्या नित्यसलिलो नित्यमध्ययने रत: । तपोदमाशभ्यां संयुक्तो वृत्तेनानवरेण च,स्वभाव तो उसका पानीके समान है। वह सदा स्वाध्यायमें लगा रहता है। तप, इन्द्रिय- संयम तथा उत्तम आचार-विचारसे संयुक्त है

Transliteration

prakṛtyā nityasalilo nityam adhyayane rataḥ | tapodamāśabhyāṁ saṁyukto vṛttenānavareṇa ca ||

Translation

பிராமணன் கூறினான்— அவன் இயல்பிலேயே எப்போதும் தெளிந்தோடும் நீரைப் போல—தூய்மையும் குளிர்ச்சியும் தருபவன். அவன் இடையறாது ஸ்வாத்யாயத்தில் ஈடுபடுகிறான். தவம், இந்திரியக் கட்டுப்பாடு, ஒழுக்கமான நியமம், குறையற்ற நடத்தை ஆகியவற்றால் அலங்கரிக்கப்பட்டவன்.

Word by Word

प्रकृत्याby nature

नित्यसलिलःhaving water always (ever-moist)

नित्यम्always

अध्ययनेin study (of scripture)

रतःengaged, devoted

तपःausterity

दमself-control (sense-restraint)

आशाभ्याम्with (two) hopes/expectations

संयुक्तःendowed, joined (with)

वृत्तेनwith conduct/behavior

अनवरेणunsurpassed, excellent

चand

Speaker

ब्राह्मण उवाच

Characters & Entities

brāhmaṇa (speaker)

an exemplary person (unnamed)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse defines ethical excellence through inner purity and steady discipline: constant sacred study (svādhyāya), austerity (tapas), sense-control (dama), and faultless conduct (anavara vṛtta). Character is presented as natural purity expressed through consistent practice.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva’s didactic setting, a brāhmaṇa speaker describes the qualities of an exemplary person, praising his innate purity and his sustained commitment to learning, restraint, and impeccable behavior as markers of dharmic life.