Shloka 9

Ātma-saṃyama-dharma: One-pointedness of Mind and Senses (शुक–व्यास संवादः)

Devanagari script

निःस्तुतिर्निर्नमस्कार: परित्यज्य शुभाशुभे | अरण्ये विचरैकाकी येन केनचिदाशित:,शुकदेव! तुम भी स्तुति और नमस्कारसे अलग रहकर शुभाशुभ कर्मोंका परित्याग करके जो कुछ फल-मूल मिल जाय, उसीसे भूख मिटाते हुए वनमें अकेले विचरते रहो

Transliteration

niḥstutir nirnamaskāraḥ parityajya śubhāśubhe | araṇye vicarāikākī yena kenacid āśitaḥ || śukadeva, tvam api stuti-namaskārābhyāṃ pṛthak sthitvā śubhāśubha-karmāṇi parityajya yat kiñcid phala-mūlaṃ labhyeta tenaiva kṣudhāṃ nivārya vane ekākī vicarā ||

Translation

వ్యాసుడు పలికెను—ఓ శుకదేవా! స్తుతి పట్ల ఆశ లేకుండా, నమస్కారాల ఆచారానికి అతీతంగా ఉండి, శుభాశుభాల పట్ల ఆసక్తిని విడిచిపెట్టి, యదృచ్ఛగా లభించిన ఫలమూలాలతోనే ఆకలి తీర్చుకుంటూ అడవిలో ఒంటరిగా సంచరించు.

Word by Word

निःस्तुतिःone who is without praise (not praising/being praised)

निर्नमस्कारःone who is without salutations (not doing salutations)

परित्यज्यhaving abandoned

शुभgood (deeds/things)

अशुभेbad (deeds/things)

अरण्येin the forest

विचरwander

एकाकीalone

येनby which/with whatever

केनचित्by something/with something (whatever it may be)

आशितःfed; having eaten (subsisting on)

Speaker

व्यास उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vyāsa

Śukadeva

forest (araṇya)

fruits and roots (phala-mūla)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

To cultivate radical detachment: do not live for social approval (praise, honor, ritual courtesies) and do not cling even to the polarity of merit and demerit as identity-making goals. Instead, adopt a simple, solitary life sustained by whatever comes, emphasizing inner freedom over external validation.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vyāsa instructs Śukadeva in the discipline of renunciation. The counsel frames an ascetic ideal: leaving behind social transactions of respect and the moral bookkeeping of ‘good vs. bad’ as attachments, Śukadeva is urged to wander alone in the forest, living on naturally available food such as fruits and roots.