Shloka 25

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

Devanagari script

यांस्तु गन्धान्‌ रसान्‌ वापि ब्रह्मचारी न सेवते

Transliteration

yāṁs tu gandhān rasān vāpi brahmacārī na sevate

Translation

毗耶娑说道：“凡梵行者（持梵行誓、守戒修学之弟子）所不沉溺的诸般香气与滋味——”

Word by Word

• यान्: which (those)
• यान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• गन्धान्: smells, fragrances
• गन्धान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्ध
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• रसान्: tastes, flavors
• रसान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: रस
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• वा: or
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा

• अपि: also/even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• ब्रह्मचारी: a celibate student; brahmacārin
• ब्रह्मचारी: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मचारिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• सेवते: enjoys/uses/partakes of
• Type: Verb
• Root: सेव्
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Ātmanepada

Speaker

व्यास उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vyāsa
• brahmacārī (brahmacarya-observer)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse points to brahmacarya as practical self-restraint: a disciplined student deliberately avoids indulgence in sensory pleasures—here highlighted through smell (gandha) and taste (rasa)—as part of ethical training and inner purification.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the didactic setting of the Śānti Parva, Vyāsa is describing norms of conduct for a brahmacārin. This line introduces a discussion of what kinds of sensory enjoyments a vowed student refrains from, as part of dharma-oriented discipline.