Shloka 4
महाभूत–इन्द्रिय–मनस्–बुद्धि–अन्तरात्मा विवेकः | Discrimination of Elements, Senses, Mind, Intellect, and Inner Self
व्यास उवाच गृहस्थस्तु यदा पश्येद् वलीपलितमात्मन: । अपत्यस्यैव चापत्यं वनमेव तदा श्रयेत्
vyāsa uvāca | gṛhasthas tu yadā paśyed valīpalitam ātmanaḥ | apatyasyaiva cāpatyaṃ vanam eva tadā śrayet ||
Wika ni Vyāsa: “Kapag nakita ng isang maybahay sa sarili ang mga tanda ng katandaan—mga kulubot at uban—at kapag ang kanyang anak ay nagkaroon na rin ng anak, nararapat siyang lumisan patungong gubat at pumasok sa buhay ng vānaprastha. Itinuturo rito na ang pagtalikod ay hindi pagtalikod sa dharma, kundi isang napapanahong paglipat: kapag tiyak na ang pagpapatuloy ng angkan, saka haharap sa pag-aayuno at pagninilay, pagsamba, at katatagang panloob.”
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches the dharmic timing of life-stage transition: after fulfilling household responsibilities and ensuring continuity of the family line (one’s child has a child), and upon seeing signs of aging, a person should shift from gṛhastha life to vānaprastha—reducing worldly entanglements and increasing austerity and spiritual discipline.
Vyāsa is instructing on āśrama-dharma within the Śānti Parva’s broader discourse on righteous living. He describes the practical marker for leaving active household life—old age and secured lineage—and prescribes taking to the forest as the appropriate next mode of life.