Shloka 20

मोक्षधर्मः — स्नेहपाशच्छेदः

Mokṣa-dharma: Cutting the Bonds of Attachment

Devanagari script

वानप्रस्थगृहस्थाभ्यां न संसृज्येत कहिचित्‌ । अज्ञातलिप्सं लिप्सेत न चैनं हर्ष आविशेत्‌,वानप्रस्थों और गृहस्थोंके साथ उसे कभी संसर्ग नहीं रखना चाहिये। अपनी रुचि प्रकट किये बिना ही जो वस्तु प्राप्त हो जाय, उसीको लेनेकी इच्छा रखनी चाहिये तथा अभीष्ट वस्तुके मिलनेपर उसके मनमें हर्षका आवेश नहीं होना चाहिये

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca | vānaprasthagṛhasthābhyāṃ na saṃsṛjyeta kahicit | ajñātalipsaṃ lipsen na cainaṃ harṣa āviśet |

Translation

وان پرستھوں اور گِرہستھوں کے ساتھ کبھی بھی قریبی میل جول نہیں رکھنا چاہیے۔ اپنی رغبت ظاہر کیے بغیر جو چیز بے مانگے مل جائے، اسی کی خواہش رکھنی چاہیے؛ اور مطلوب چیز مل جانے پر بھی دل و دماغ پر خوشی کا غلبہ نہیں ہونا چاہیے۔

Word by Word

• {'vānaprastha': 'a forest-dweller

• the third āśrama (stage of life) devoted to austerity and withdrawal', 'gṛhastha': 'a householder

• the second āśrama centered on family, livelihood, and social duties', 'abhyām': 'with/by the two (instrumental dual)', 'na': 'not', 'saṃsṛjyeta': 'should associate closely

• should mix/consort (optative, middle/passive sense)', 'kahicit (kvacit)': 'ever

• at any time', 'ajñāta': 'unknown

• unexpressed', 'lipsā': 'desire to obtain

• acquisitive wish', 'ajñātalipsam': 'desire that is not disclosed

• seeking without advertising one’s preference', 'lipset': 'should desire/seek (optative)', 'ca': 'and', 'enam': 'him/this person (i.e., the practitioner)', 'harṣa': 'elation

• joy', 'āviśet': 'should enter

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Vānaprastha
• Gṛhastha

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Cultivate restraint and non-attachment: avoid entangling social mixing that fuels desire, accept what comes without solicitation or display of preference, and remain even-minded without being carried away by elation when desired things are obtained.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma and disciplined living, Bhishma advises the listener on conduct suited to a renunciant-leaning life: limiting associations and practicing equanimity in gain, emphasizing inner control over external circumstances.