Shloka 15

कālacakra-वर्णनम् तथा āśrama-धarma-निरूपणम्

The Wheel of Time and the Norms of the Āśramas

Devanagari script

संस्कारै: संस्कृत: पूर्व यथावच्चरितव्रत: । जातौ गुणविशिष्टायां समावर्तेत तत्त्ववित्‌,पहले सब प्रकारके संस्कारोंसे सम्पन्न होकर वेदोक्त विधिसे अध्ययन करते हुए ब्रह्मचर्य-व्रतका पालन करना चाहिये। तत्पश्चात्‌ तत्त्ववेत्ताको उचित है कि वह समावर्तन- संस्कार करके उत्तम गुणोंसे युक्त कुलमें विवाह करे

Transliteration

saṃskāraiḥ saṃskṛtaḥ pūrvaṃ yathāvac caritavrataḥ | jātau guṇaviśiṣṭāyāṃ samāvarteta tattvavit ||

Translation

ముందుగా విధిపూర్వక సంస్కారాలతో సంస్కృతుడై, వేదోక్త నియమానుసారం అధ్యయనం చేస్తూ బ్రహ్మచర్య వ్రతాన్ని యథావిధిగా ఆచరించాలి. అనంతరం తత్త్వవేత్త సమావర్తన సంస్కారాన్ని పూర్తిచేసి, ఉత్తమ గుణాలతో విశిష్టమైన కులంలో వివాహం చేసి గృహస్థాశ్రమంలో ప్రవేశించాలి.

Word by Word

• {'saṃskāraiḥ': 'by sacraments/rites of refinement (saṃskāra-s)', 'saṃskṛtaḥ': 'refined, properly formed, duly prepared', 'pūrvam': 'first, beforehand', 'yathāvat': 'properly, according to rule', 'carita-vrataḥ': 'one who has observed the vow/discipline (especially brahmacarya)', 'brahmacarya': 'student life

• celibate discipline devoted to study and self-control', 'vedokta-vidhi (implied)': 'procedure enjoined by the Veda', 'samāvarteta': 'should perform samāvartana

• should return/graduate from studentship', 'samāvartana': 'the graduation/returning-home rite concluding Vedic study', 'tattvavit': 'knower of reality/truth

• one grounded in principles', 'jātau': 'in a lineage/family/community (of birth)', 'guṇa-viśiṣṭāyām': 'distinguished by virtues/excellent qualities'}

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vāyu (Vāyudeva)
• saṃskāra (rites)
• brahmacarya-vrata
• Veda (as authority, implied)
• samāvartana (rite)
• marriage/householder life (implied)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse outlines a dharmic life-sequence: purification through saṃskāras, disciplined Vedic study as a brahmacārin, completion of samāvartana (graduation), and then entering gṛhastha life through a marriage aligned with virtue and good lineage—emphasizing character, proper training, and socially responsible household formation.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyu is instructing the listener on proper conduct and life-order (āśrama-dharma), describing how a person should progress from student discipline to household life in a regulated, ethically grounded manner.