Shloka 23

परिव्राजक-आचारः (Conduct of the Wandering Renunciant) — Mahābhārata, Śānti-parva 269

Devanagari script

तं॑ सन्‍्तो विधिवत प्राप्य गच्छन्ति परमां गतिम्‌ | गृहेभ्य एव निष्क्रम्य वनमन्ये समाश्रिता:

Transliteration

taṁ santaḥ vidhivat prāpya gacchanti paramāṁ gatim | gṛhebhya eva niṣkramya vanam anye samāśritāḥ ||

Translation

迦毗罗说道：“既如法得此正道，智者便能抵达至高归宿。有的离家出走，入于林野；有的依止林居之行（vānaprastha）。如是，依次第正当进入人生诸阶段，并忠实奉行各自之职分，便得至上之境。”

Word by Word

• तम्: him/that (goal/state)
• तम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• सन्तः: the good/virtuous people
• सन्तः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• विधि-वत्: according to rule, duly
• विधि-वत्: Karana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विधिवत्

• प्राप्य: having attained
• प्राप्य: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + आप्
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral for gerund)

• गच्छन्ति: they go
• गच्छन्ति: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम्
• Form: Present, Indicative, Parasmaipada, Third, Plural

• परमाम्: supreme
• परमाम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• गतिम्: state/goal, destination
• गतिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: गति
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

कपिल उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Kapila
• santaḥ (the wise/virtuous)
• gṛha (household)
• vana (forest)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Liberation is reached by the virtuous through disciplined, rule-guided practice of dharma—especially by properly entering and observing the duties of one’s life-stage (āśrama), whether remaining a householder or moving toward forest-life and renunciation.

What is happening in the narrative?

Kapila is instructing about the paths followed by the wise: some leave household life and go to the forest, while others adopt different regulated modes of life. The emphasis is on orderly transition and faithful observance of prescribed duties leading to the supreme goal.