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

毗耶娑说道：“孩子啊！正如往昔梵天（Brahmā）亲自制定了这正当的行持之法，古代的贤善之士与诸大圣仙（mahārṣi）也都依此修行并加以护持。”

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.