Shloka 4
महाभूत–इन्द्रिय–मनस्–बुद्धि–अन्तरात्मा विवेकः | Discrimination of Elements, Senses, Mind, Intellect, and Inner Self
व्यास उवाच गृहस्थस्तु यदा पश्येद् वलीपलितमात्मन: । अपत्यस्यैव चापत्यं वनमेव तदा श्रयेत्
vyāsa uvāca | gṛhasthas tu yadā paśyed valīpalitam ātmanaḥ | apatyasyaiva cāpatyaṃ vanam eva tadā śrayet ||
毗耶娑说道：“当居家者在自身见到衰老之相——皱纹与白发——又见其子亦已得子、家脉相续之时，便应归依林野，进入林栖期（vānaprastha）。此教并非以出离为弃舍达摩，而是视之为合时的转进：既已确保家族延续，便转向苦行、礼拜与内在的安定。”
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches the dharmic timing of life-stage transition: after fulfilling household responsibilities and ensuring continuity of the family line (one’s child has a child), and upon seeing signs of aging, a person should shift from gṛhastha life to vānaprastha—reducing worldly entanglements and increasing austerity and spiritual discipline.
Vyāsa is instructing on āśrama-dharma within the Śānti Parva’s broader discourse on righteous living. He describes the practical marker for leaving active household life—old age and secured lineage—and prescribes taking to the forest as the appropriate next mode of life.