Shloka 5

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

Devanagari script

व्यास उवाच यथा वै विहिता वृत्ति: पुरस्ताद्‌ ब्रह्मणा स्वयम्‌ | एषा पूर्वतरै: सद्धिराचीर्णा परमर्षिभि:

Transliteration

vyāsa uvāca | yathā vai vihitā vṛttiḥ purastād brahmaṇā svayam | eṣā pūrvataraiḥ sadbhir ācīrṇā paramarṣibhiḥ ||

Translation

Vyāsa nói: “Này con! Như thuở xưa chính Phạm Thiên (Brahmā) đã thiết lập khuôn phép hành xử đúng đắn ấy, thì các bậc hiền đức đời trước và các đại thánh hiền (mahārṣi) cũng đã thực hành và gìn giữ đúng theo đó.”

Word by Word

• व्यासः: Vyasa
• व्यासः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यास
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect (Paroksha-bhuta), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• यथा: as, just as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

• वै: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै

• विहिता: ordained, prescribed
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि-धा (धातु: धा) + क्त
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• वृत्तिः: conduct; mode of life
• वृत्तिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृत्ति
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• पुरस्तात्: formerly; in the beginning
• पुरस्तात्: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरस्तात्

• ब्रह्मणा: by Brahma
• ब्रह्मणा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• स्वयम्: himself
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम्

• एषा: this (conduct)
• एषा: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• पूर्वतरैः: by earlier (people)
• पूर्वतरैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूर्वतर
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• सद्भिः: by the good (men)
• सद्भिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• आचीर्णा: practised, observed
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ-चर् + क्त
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• परमर्षिभिः: by the great sages
• परमर्षिभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: परमर्षि
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

Speaker

व्यास उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vyāsa
• Brahmā
• Paramarṣis (great seers)
• Sadhu/Satpuruṣa (virtuous predecessors)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Right conduct (vṛtti/ācāra) gains authority from two pillars: its original ordination by Brahmā and its continuous practice by earlier virtuous people and great seers. Dharma is presented as an inherited, time-tested standard rather than a personal invention.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vyāsa is affirming a rule or way of life by appealing to primordial authority (Brahmā’s ordinance) and exemplary precedent (the conduct of ancient sages). He is positioning the teaching within an established lineage of dharma.