Shloka 5
महाभूत–इन्द्रिय–मनस्–बुद्धि–अन्तरात्मा विवेकः | Discrimination of Elements, Senses, Mind, Intellect, and Inner Self
तृतीयमायुषो भागं वानप्रस्थाश्रमे वसेत् । तानेवाग्नीन् परिचरेद् यजमानो दिवौकस:
tṛtīyam āyuṣo bhāgaṁ vānaprasthāśrame vaset | tān evāgnīn paricared yajamāno divaukasaḥ ||
Wika ni Vyāsa: “Dapat gugulin ng tao ang ikatlong bahagi ng kanyang buhay sa yugto ng vānaprastha. Pag-urong niya sa disiplinang iyon, dapat niyang ipagpatuloy ang pag-aalaga sa mismong mga banal na apoy na iningatan niya bilang maybahay, mamuhay bilang tagapaghandog at mag-alay ng pagsamba sa mga diyos.”
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches āśrama-dharma: after fulfilling household duties, one should transition to vānaprastha for the third portion of life, maintaining continuity of sacred obligations—especially tending the established ritual fires and worshipping the gods—while adopting a more withdrawn, disciplined mode of living.
Vyāsa is instructing on the proper life-stages and conduct. Here he describes the move from gṛhastha (householder) to vānaprastha (forest-dweller), emphasizing that the person does not abandon dharma abruptly but carries forward the same sacred fires and daily divine worship into the forest life.