Shloka 2

परिव्राजक-आचारः (Conduct of the Wandering Renunciant) — Mahābhārata, Śānti-parva 269

Devanagari script

शब्दब्रद्माणि निष्णात: परं ब्रह्माधिगच्छति । शरीरमेतत्‌ कुरुते यद्‌ वेदे कुरुते तनुम्‌

Transliteration

śabda-brahmāṇi niṣṇātaḥ paraṁ brahmādhigacchati | śarīram etat kurute yad vede kurute tanum ||

Translation

శబ్దబ్రహ్మంలో (వేదంలో) నిష్ణాతుడైనవాడు పరబ్రహ్మాన్ని పొందుతాడు. వేదశాసనంలో తాను అంతఃస్వరూపాన్ని ఎలా మలుచుకుంటాడో, అలాగే ఈ శరీరస్థితিও రూపుదిద్దుకుంటుంది.

Word by Word

शब्दब्रह्माणिin the Vedic sound-Brahman (the Vedas)

निष्णातःwell-versed, proficient

परम्supreme

ब्रह्मBrahman (the Absolute)

अधिगच्छतिattains, reaches

शरीरम्body

एतत्this

कुरुतेmakes, fashions

यत्which

वेदेin the Veda

कुरुतेmakes, forms

तनुम्a body, form

Speaker

कपिल उवाच

Characters & Entities

Kapila

Veda

Śabda-brahman

Para-brahman

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?

Mastery of the Vedic word (śabda-brahman) is presented as a disciplined means that can culminate in realization of the Supreme Brahman; inner formation through sacred learning and practice shapes one’s embodied life and spiritual capacity.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s didactic setting, Kapila is teaching about the relation between Vedic sound/learning and ultimate realization, emphasizing that spiritual practice is not merely intellectual: it forms the practitioner’s very embodied condition and readiness for higher knowledge.