Shloka 3
Cāturāśramya-dharma—Marks of the Four Āśramas (चातुराश्रम्यधर्मः)
त्यागं श्रेष्ठ मुन॒यो वै वदन्ति सर्वश्रेष्ठ यच्छरीरं त्यजन्त: । नित्यं युक्ता राजधर्मेषु सर्वे प्रत्यक्ष ते भूमिपाला यथैव
tyāgaṃ śreṣṭha munayo vai vadanti sarvaśreṣṭha yaccharīraṃ tyajantaḥ | nityaṃ yuktā rājadharmeṣu sarve pratyakṣa te bhūmipālā yathaiva ||
因陀罗说：“诸圣贤宣说，舍离（tyāga）为至上；而在一切舍离之中，舍弃自身之躯最为无上。凡恒常奉行王者之法度的诸王，正如你亲眼所见，皆在战场上捐躯——此即摆在你面前的直接明证。”
इन्द्र उवाच
Educational Q&A
Renunciation (tyāga) is praised as the highest ideal, and the greatest form of it is self-sacrifice—especially when undertaken in steadfast adherence to rājadharma (the ethical duties of kingship), such as laying down one’s life in battle for protection of the realm and order.
Indra addresses the listener and points to a visible, historical example: many kings devoted to royal duty have died in battle. Their deaths are presented as direct evidence that bodily self-sacrifice, when aligned with dharma, is regarded as the supreme form of tyāga.