Shloka 6

तृष्णाक्षय-उपदेशः

Instruction on the Cessation of Craving

Devanagari script

यथा मातरमश्रित्य सर्वे जीवन्ति जन्तव: । एवं गार्हस्थ्यमाश्रित्य वर्तन्त इतराश्रमा:

Transliteration

yathā mātaram āśritya sarve jīvanti jantavaḥ | evaṁ gārhasthyam āśritya vartanta itarāśramāḥ ||

Translation

迦毗罗教示：正如一切众生依母而活，诸余人生阶段亦唯有依托居家者之住期方能延续。居家生活被呈现为社会与更广大法（dharma）体系的维系之本，因为它能滋养、护持并供给那些修行其他戒行的人。

Word by Word

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

• मातरम्: mother
• मातरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातृ
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• आश्रित्य: having taken refuge in / depending on
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-श्रि
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral here)

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• जीवन्ति: live
• Type: Verb
• Root: जीव्
• Form: Present (Lat), Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• जन्तवः: creatures / living beings
• जन्तवः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन्तु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• एवम्: thus / in the same way
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम्

• गार्हस्थ्यम्: the householder stage (gṛhastha-āśrama)
• गार्हस्थ्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: गार्हस्थ्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• आश्रित्य: having taken refuge in / depending on
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-श्रि
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral here)

• वर्तन्ते: exist / continue / are maintained
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृत्
• Form: Present (Lat), Third, Plural, Atmanepada

• इतर: other
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इतर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• आश्रमाः: stages of life (āśramas)
• आश्रमाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: आश्रम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

कपिल उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Kapila
• mātṛ (mother)
• gārhasthya (householder āśrama)
• itarāśramāḥ (other āśramas)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches the interdependence of the four āśramas, emphasizing that gārhasthya (householder life) sustains the others—much like a mother sustains living beings—through support, provision, and protection within dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva’s instructional discourse, Kapila speaks as a teacher, using a vivid simile (mother and creatures) to explain why the householder order is foundational for the functioning of the other life-stages.