Shloka 31

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

Devanagari script

संतोषमूलस्त्यागात्मा ज्ञानाधिष्ठानमुच्यते । अपवर्गमतिर्नित्यो यतिधर्म: सनातन:

Transliteration

santoṣamūlas tyāgātmā jñānādhiṣṭhānam ucyate | apavargamatir nityo yatidharmaḥ sanātanaḥ ||

Translation

కపిలుడు అన్నాడు—సంతోషమే మూలమై, త్యాగమే స్వరూపమై, జ్ఞానానికి ఆధారమని చెప్పబడే ఆ ధర్మం; మోక్షంపై నిత్యం నిలిచిన బుద్ధి కలిగినదై—ఇదే యతి (సన్యాసి) యొక్క సనాతన ధర్మం.

Word by Word

संतोषमूलःhaving contentment as its root

त्यागात्माwhose nature is renunciation

ज्ञानाधिष्ठानम्a foundation of knowledge

उच्यतेis said / is called

अपवर्गमतिःone whose intent is liberation

नित्यःconstant / ever (steadfast)

यतिधर्मःthe duty/practice of an ascetic

सनातनःeternal

Speaker

कपिल उवाच

Characters & Entities

Kapila

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Kapila defines the ascetic’s eternal dharma as a life rooted in contentment and characterized by renunciation, firmly grounded in spiritual knowledge, with a constant orientation toward liberation (apavarga).

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva’s instructional setting, Kapila is presenting a doctrinal summary of the renunciant path—describing the inner foundations (contentment, renunciation, knowledge) and the ultimate aim (liberation) that define yati-dharma.