Shloka 24

Brahmā’s Instruction on Brahmacarya, Vānaprastha, and the Aliṅga Path

Ethics of Non-attachment

Devanagari script

असंरोधेन भूतानां वृत्तिं लिप्सेत मोक्षवित्‌ न चान्यमन्नं लिप्सेत भिक्षमाण: कथंचन

Transliteration

asaṃrodhena bhūtānāṃ vṛttiṃ lipseta mokṣavit | na cānyam annaṃ lipseta bhikṣamāṇaḥ kathaṃcana ||

Translation

Wika ni Vāyu: “Ang nakaaalam sa landas ng paglaya ay dapat maghanapbuhay nang hindi humahadlang sa buhay ng ibang nilalang. At sa paghingi ng limos, sa anumang pagkakataon, huwag siyang magnasa ng pagkain maliban sa kusang ibinibigay ng nagkakaloob.”

Word by Word

• {'asaṃrodhena': 'without obstruction, without hindering', 'bhūtānām': 'of beings

• living creatures', 'vṛttim': 'means of livelihood

• subsistence', 'lipseta': 'should seek

• should desire/aim for', 'mokṣavit': 'knower of liberation

• one who understands mokṣa', 'na ca': 'and not

• nor', 'anyam': 'other

• different', 'annam': 'food', 'bhikṣamāṇaḥ': 'begging

• seeking alms', 'kathaṃcana': 'in any way

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vāyu (Vāyudeva)
• living beings (bhūta)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A liberation-seeker should live without harming or obstructing other beings and should practice strict contentment in alms—accepting only what is freely given, without craving alternatives.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyudeva is instructing on renunciant conduct: how a mokṣa-oriented mendicant should obtain sustenance ethically—non-intrusively and without desire-driven selectiveness while begging.