Shloka 14

कपिलगोसंवादे गृहस्थ-त्यागधर्मयोः प्रमाण्यविचारः

Kapila–Cow Dialogue: Authority of Householder and Renunciant Dharmas

Devanagari script

अग्नीन्‌ परिचरन्‌ सम्यक्‌ स्वाध्यायपरमो द्विज: । वानप्रस्थविधानज्ञों जाजलिज्वलित: श्रिया

Transliteration

agnīn paricaran samyak svādhyāya-paramo dvijaḥ | vānaprastha-vidhāna-jño jājali-jvalitaḥ śriyā ||

Translation

Bhīṣma nói: “Vị Bà-la-môn ấy phụng dưỡng các ngọn lửa thiêng đúng phép và trên hết chuyên tâm vào svādhyāya—tự học, tự tụng đọc Veda. Thấu hiểu các kỷ luật đã định của đời sống lâm cư (vānaprastha), Jājali rực sáng bằng vẻ huy hoàng tâm linh, như thể bừng cháy trong quang minh.”

Word by Word

• अग्नीन्: sacred fires
• अग्नीन्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• परिचरन्: serving/attending (upon)
• परिचरन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-चर्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, शतृ (present active participle)

• सम्यक्: properly, duly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्यक्

• स्वाध्याय-परमः: having Vedic study as the highest (aim), devoted to self-recitation
• स्वाध्याय-परमः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वाध्यायपरम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• द्विजः: a twice-born (brahmin)
• द्विजः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वानप्रस्थ-विधान-ज्ञः: knower of the rules/ordinances of the forest-dweller (stage)
• वानप्रस्थ-विधान-ज्ञः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वानप्रस्थविधानज्ञ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• जाजलिः: Jājali (proper name)
• जाजलिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: जाजलि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ज्वलितः: blazing, radiant
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्वल्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, क्त (past passive participle)

• श्रिया: by/with splendor, with prosperity/beauty
• श्रिया: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Jājali
• Agni (sacred fires/Agnihotra)
• Vānaprastha-āśrama
• Veda (svādhyāya)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse praises disciplined observance of āśrama-dharma: proper maintenance of sacred fires (ritual responsibility), steadfast svādhyāya (Vedic study), and knowledgeable adherence to the vānaprastha code. Ethical excellence is shown as steady practice, not mere status.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma is describing the sage Jājali’s way of life: he correctly tends the ritual fires, prioritizes Vedic recitation/study, and follows the forest-dweller regulations. The description frames Jājali as spiritually radiant due to his disciplined conduct.