Shloka 11

Jñāna-yoga and Karma-phala: Manu–Bṛhaspati on Akṣara and the Limits of Mantra

Devanagari script

होमकाले तथा जुद्वन्नतुकाले तथा व्रजन्‌ । अनन्यस्त्रीजन: प्राज्ञो ब्रह्मचारी तथा भवेत्‌

Transliteration

homakāle tathā yudvan ṛtukāle tathā vrajan | ananyastrījanaḥ prājño brahmacārī tathā bhavet ||

Translation

Bhīṣma nói: Người trí, hằng ngày làm lễ hỏa cúng (homa) đúng thời, chỉ gần gũi vợ mình vào mùa thụ thai của nàng, và không bao giờ đưa mắt về phía phụ nữ khác—người ấy được xem như sống như một brahmacārin: có kỷ luật, tự chế, và trung tín với dharma dù vẫn ở bậc gia chủ.

Word by Word

• होमकाले: at the time of the homa (fire-offering)
• होमकाले: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: होमकाल
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• तथा: and likewise
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• युध्वन्: fighting
• युध्वन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: युध्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, शतृ (present active participle)

• ऋतुकाले: in the season/time of menstruation (proper conjugal time)
• ऋतुकाले: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋतुकाल
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• तथा: and likewise
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• व्रजन्: going
• व्रजन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्रज्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, शतृ (present active participle)

• अनन्यस्त्रीजनः: one who is not with other women (exclusive to his own wife)
• अनन्यस्त्रीजनः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनन्यस्त्रीजन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्राज्ञः: wise
• प्राज्ञः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राज्ञ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ब्रह्मचारी: a celibate/student observing brahmacarya
• ब्रह्मचारी: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मचारिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तथा: thus/likewise
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• भवेत्: would be / is considered to be
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• homa (fire-offering)
• brahmacārin (brahmacarya discipline)
• strī (women)
• ṛtukāla (lawful conjugal season)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Brahmacarya is presented not only as literal celibacy but as disciplined conduct: regular performance of sacred duties, conjugal relations confined to dharmically permitted times, and unwavering fidelity—no pursuit of other women. Such restraint makes a householder comparable to a brahmacārin in ethical stature.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma, Bhīṣma teaches Yudhiṣṭhira standards of self-control for householders. He defines a model of restrained domestic life—ritual regularity and sexual moderation—framing it as brahmacarya-like discipline within gṛhastha life.