Shloka 256

Ātma-saṃyama-dharma: One-pointedness of Mind and Senses (शुक–व्यास संवादः)

Devanagari script

सेवेत तान्‌ समावृत्य इति धर्मेषु निश्चय: । जिन-जिन गन्धों और रसोंका ब्रह्मचारीको सेवन नहीं करना चाहिये, उनका वह ब्रह्मचर्यकालमें त्याग करे। समावर्तनसंस्कारके बाद ही वह उनका सेवन कर सकता है, यही धर्मका निश्चय है

Transliteration

sevet tān samāvṛtya iti dharmeṣu niścayaḥ |

Translation

سماؤرتن کے بعد ہی ان سے لطف اٹھایا جائے— یہی دھرم کا قطعی فیصلہ ہے۔ جن جن خوشبوؤں اور ذائقوں کا برہماچاری کو استعمال نہیں کرنا چاہیے، برہماچریہ کے زمانے میں وہ انہیں ترک کرے؛ سماؤرتن-سنسکار کے بعد ہی ان کا استعمال جائز ہے۔

Word by Word

सेवेतshould use/should partake/should serve

तान्those (them)

समावृत्यhaving returned (after completion)

इतिthus

धर्मेषुin matters of dharma / among duties

निश्चयःdecision; settled conclusion

Speaker

व्यास उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vyāsa

samāvartana (graduation rite)

brahmacarya (student stage)

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?

Sense-enjoyments that are restricted for a brahmacārin should be renounced during the period of studentship and may be taken up only after samāvartana; dharma is defined here as disciplined timing and restraint, not mere denial.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma and right conduct, Vyāsa states a normative rule for the student stage: abstain from certain pleasures during brahmacarya and partake only after the formal completion of training marked by samāvartana.