Vyasa Teaches Shuka the Student's Life

Verse 1 (12.248.1)

क्षरात्प्रभृति यः सर्गः सगुणानीन्द्रियाणि च । बुद्ध्यैश्वर्यातिसर्गोऽयं प्रधानश्चात्मनः श्रुतम् ॥

kṣarātprabhṛti yaḥ sargaḥ saguṇānīndriyāṇi ca | buddhyaiśvaryātisargo'yaṃ pradhānaścātmanaḥ śrutam

I have heard of the creation that proceeds from the Imperishable, together with the senses and their qualities, and of this emission of intellect and sovereignty, which is the principal part of the self.

Verse 2 (12.248.2)

भूय एव तु लोकेऽस्मिन्सद्वृतिं कालहेतुकीम् । यया सन्तः प्रवर्तन्ते तदिच्छाम्यनुवर्तितुम् ॥

bhūya eva tu loke'sminsadvṛtiṃ kālahetukīm | yayā santaḥ pravartante tadicchāmyanuvartitum

Once more I wish to learn the good way of life in this world, shaped by the time, by which the good live, so that I may follow it.

Verse 3 (12.248.3)

वेदे वचनमुक्तं तु कुरु कर्म त्यजेति च । कथमेतद्विजानीयां तच्च व्याख्यातुमर्हसि ॥

vede vacanamuktaṃ tu kuru karma tyajeti ca | kathametadvijānīyāṃ tacca vyākhyātumarhasi

The Veda says both "Do works" and "Give them up." How am I to understand this? Please explain it to me.

Verse 4 (12.248.4)

लोकवृत्तान्ततत्वज्ञः पूतोऽहं गुरुशासनात् । कृत्वा बुद्धिं विमुक्तात्मा द्रक्ष्याम्यात्मानमव्ययं ॥

lokavṛttāntatatvajñaḥ pūto'haṃ guruśāsanāt | kṛtvā buddhiṃ vimuktātmā drakṣyāmyātmānamavyayaṃ

I know the truth of how the world goes, and through my teacher's instruction I am purified. Having set my understanding right, with my self set free, I shall see the imperishable Self.

Verse 5 (12.248.5)

एषा वै विहिता वृत्तिः पुरस्ताद्ब्रह्मणा स्वयम् । एषा पूर्वतरैः सद्भिराचीर्णा परमर्षिभिः ॥

eṣā vai vihitā vṛttiḥ purastādbrahmaṇā svayam | eṣā pūrvataraiḥ sadbhirācīrṇā paramarṣibhiḥ

This way of life was laid down long ago by Brahma himself, and it was practised by the good and by the great seers of earlier days.

Verse 6 (12.248.6)

ब्रह्मचर्येण वै लोकाञ्जयन्ति परमर्षयः । आत्मनश्च हृदि श्रेयो ह्यन्विच्छन्मनसाऽऽत्मनि ॥

brahmacaryeṇa vai lokāñjayanti paramarṣayaḥ | ātmanaśca hṛdi śreyo hyanvicchanmanasā''tmani

By the student's discipline the great seers win the worlds; and, seeking with the mind fixed on the Self, they look for what is best for the Self in the heart.

Verse 7 (12.248.7)

वने मूलफलाशी च तप्यन्सुविपुलं तपः । पुण्यायतनचारी च भूतानामविहिंसकः ॥

vane mūlaphalāśī ca tapyansuvipulaṃ tapaḥ | puṇyāyatanacārī ca bhūtānāmavihiṃsakaḥ

Eating roots and fruits in the forest, practising vast austerity, wandering among holy places, harming no creature,

Note on the text: Corrected अविहिंसक → अविहिंसकः (misprint in Wikisource; the visarga is dropped, CE avihiṃsakaḥ).

Verse 8 (12.248.8)

विधूमे सन्नमुसले वानप्रस्थप्रतिश्रये । काले प्राप्ते चरन्भैक्षं कल्पते ब्रह्मभूयसे ॥

vidhūme sannamusale vānaprasthapratiśraye | kāle prāpte caranbhaikṣaṃ kalpate brahmabhūyase

in a forest dwelling where no smoke rises and the pestle lies idle, going about begging at the proper time, he becomes fit for union with Brahman.

Verse 9 (12.248.9)

निस्तुतिर्निर्नमस्कारः परित्यज्य शुभाशुभे । अरण्ये विचरैकाकी येनकेनचिदाशितः ॥

nistutirnirnamaskāraḥ parityajya śubhāśubhe | araṇye vicaraikākī yenakenacidāśitaḥ

Praising none, bowing to none, having abandoned good and evil, let him wander alone in the forest, fed on whatever comes.

Verse 10 (12.248.10)

यदिदं वेदवचनं लोकवादे विरुध्यते । प्रमाणे चाप्रमाणे च विरुद्धे शास्त्रतः कुतः ॥

yadidaṃ vedavacanaṃ lokavāde virudhyate | pramāṇe cāpramāṇe ca viruddhe śāstrataḥ kutaḥ

This saying of the Veda is contradicted by what people say in the world. When what is authoritative and what is not are opposed, where is the authority of scripture?

Verse 11 (12.248.11)

इत्येतच्छ्रोतुमिच्छामि प्रमाणं तूभयं कथम् । कर्मणामविरोधेन कथमेतत्प्रवर्तते ॥

ityetacchrotumicchāmi pramāṇaṃ tūbhayaṃ katham | karmaṇāmavirodhena kathametatpravartate

That is what I wish to hear: how can both be authoritative, and how does this proceed without a conflict among actions?

Verse 12 (12.248.12)

इत्युक्तः प्रत्युवाचेदं गन्धवत्याः सुतः सुतम् । ऋषिस्तत्पूजयन्वाक्यं पुत्रस्यामिततेजसः ॥

ityuktaḥ pratyuvācedaṃ gandhavatyāḥ sutaḥ sutam | ṛṣistatpūjayanvākyaṃ putrasyāmitatejasaḥ

Thus addressed, the son of Gandhavati answered his son, the sage honouring the words of his son of boundless splendour.

Verse 13 (12.248.13)

ब्रह्मचारी गृहस्थश्च वानप्रस्थोऽथ भिक्षुकः । यथोक्तकारिणः सर्वे गच्छन्ति परमां गतिम् ॥

brahmacārī gṛhasthaśca vānaprastho'tha bhikṣukaḥ | yathoktakāriṇaḥ sarve gacchanti paramāṃ gatim

The student, the householder, the forest-dweller and the mendicant: all who act as is laid down reach the highest state.

Verse 14 (12.248.14)

एको वाऽप्याश्रमानेतान्योऽनुतिष्ठेद्यथाविधि । अकामद्वेषसंयुक्तः स परत्र महीयते ॥

eko vā'pyāśramānetānyo'nutiṣṭhedyathāvidhi | akāmadveṣasaṃyuktaḥ sa paratra mahīyate

Even he who follows just one of these orders of life as prescribed, free of desire and hatred, is honoured in the world beyond.

Verse 15 (12.248.15)

चतुष्पदी हि निःश्रेयणी ब्रह्मण्येषा प्रतिष्ठिता । एतामाश्रित्य निःश्रेणीं ब्रह्मलोके महीयते ॥

catuṣpadī hi niḥśreyaṇī brahmaṇyeṣā pratiṣṭhitā | etāmāśritya niḥśreṇīṃ brahmaloke mahīyate

This is a ladder of four rungs, founded in Brahman. Resting on this ladder, one is honoured in the world of Brahma.

Verse 16 (12.248.16)

आयुषस्तु चतुर्भागं ब्रह्मचार्यनसूयकः । गुरौ वा गुरुपुत्रे वा वसेद्धर्मार्थकोविदः ॥

āyuṣastu caturbhāgaṃ brahmacāryanasūyakaḥ | gurau vā guruputre vā vaseddharmārthakovidaḥ

For a quarter of his life the student, free of envy, should live with his teacher or the teacher's son, skilled in what concerns duty and purpose.

Verse 17 (12.248.17)

जघन्यशायी पूर्वं स्यादुत्थाय गुरुवेश्मनि । यच्च शिष्येण कर्तव्यं कार्यं दासेन वा पुनः ॥

jaghanyaśāyī pūrvaṃ syādutthāya guruveśmani | yacca śiṣyeṇa kartavyaṃ kāryaṃ dāsena vā punaḥ

He should lie down last and rise first in the teacher's house; and whatever is to be done by a pupil, or by a servant,

Note on the text: Wikisource places this verse before CE 12.234.17; the order of CE 17, 18, 19 is 18, 19, 17 on the page (a recension difference, kept).

Verse 18 (12.248.18)

कृतमित्येव तत्सर्वं कृत्वा तिष्ठेत पार्श्वतः । किंकरः सर्वकारी स्यात्सर्वकर्मसु कोविदः ॥

kṛtamityeva tatsarvaṃ kṛtvā tiṣṭheta pārśvataḥ | kiṃkaraḥ sarvakārī syātsarvakarmasu kovidaḥ

he should do it all, say "It is done," and stand at his side. He should be an attendant who does everything, skilled in every task.

Verse 19 (12.248.19)

कर्मातिशेषेण गुरावध्येतव्यं बुभूषता । दक्षिणो नापवादी स्यादाहूतो गुरुमाश्रयेत् ॥

karmātiśeṣeṇa gurāvadhyetavyaṃ bubhūṣatā | dakṣiṇo nāpavādī syādāhūto gurumāśrayet

When his tasks are done, he who wishes to prosper should study with his teacher. He should be obliging and never speak ill, and when called he should go to his teacher.

Note on the text: Corrected दक्षिणेनोपसादी स्यादाकूतो नुल्माश्रयेत् → दक्षिणो नापवादी स्यादाहूतो गुरुमाश्रयेत् (misprint in Wikisource; line 2 as printed is not a Sanskrit sentence, so it is restored to the CE reading, CE 12.234.17c). Line 1 = CE 12.234.17a. Wikisource places this verse after CE 18-19.

Verse 20 (12.248.20)

शुचिर्दक्षो गुणोपेतो ब्रूयादिष्टमिवान्तरा । चक्षुषा गुरुमव्यग्रो निरीक्षेत जितेन्द्रियः ॥

śucirdakṣo guṇopeto brūyādiṣṭamivāntarā | cakṣuṣā gurumavyagro nirīkṣeta jitendriyaḥ

Pure, able and full of good qualities, he should speak in the pauses, as if only what is wished for. Undistracted and master of his senses, he should watch his teacher with his eyes.

Note on the text: Corrected चक्षुष → चक्षुषा (misprint in Wikisource; final ā dropped, CE cakṣuṣā). Line 1 differs from CE (brūyād iṣur ivātvaraḥ) and is kept as a recension variant.

Verse 21 (12.248.21)

नाभुक्तवति चाश्नीयादपीतवति नो पिबेत् । नातिष्ठति तथासीत नासुप्ते प्रस्वपेत च ॥

nābhuktavati cāśnīyādapītavati no pibet | nātiṣṭhati tathāsīta nāsupte prasvapeta ca

He should not eat while his teacher has not eaten, nor drink while he has not drunk; he should not sit while the teacher stands, nor go to sleep while the teacher is awake.

Verse 22 (12.248.22)

उत्तानाभ्यां च पाणिभ्यां पादावस्य मृदु स्पृशेत् । दक्षिणं दक्षिणेनैव सव्यं सव्येन पीडयेत् ॥

uttānābhyāṃ ca pāṇibhyāṃ pādāvasya mṛdu spṛśet | dakṣiṇaṃ dakṣiṇenaiva savyaṃ savyena pīḍayet

With his palms turned upward he should gently press his feet, the right foot with the right hand and the left with the left.

Verse 23 (12.248.23)

अभिवाद्य गुरुं ब्रूयादधीष्व भगवन्निति । इदं करिष्ये भगवन्निदं चापि कृतं मया ॥

abhivādya guruṃ brūyādadhīṣva bhagavanniti | idaṃ kariṣye bhagavannidaṃ cāpi kṛtaṃ mayā

Having greeted the teacher he should say, "Teach me, revered sir. I shall do this, revered sir, and this too I have done."

Verse 24 (12.248.24)

ब्रह्मंस्तदपि कर्ताऽस्मि यद्भावन्वक्ष्यते पुनः । इति सर्वमनुज्ञाप्य निवेद्य गुरवे पुनः ॥

brahmaṃstadapi kartā'smi yadbhāvanvakṣyate punaḥ | iti sarvamanujñāpya nivedya gurave punaḥ

"Brahmin, I shall also do whatever you tell me next." Having thus obtained leave for everything and informed the teacher again,

Note on the text: Line 1 is the CE star passage 12.234.23d*0684_01 (brahmaṃs tad api kartāsmi yad bhavān vakṣyate punaḥ); line 2 is CE 12.234.24a with a variant ending (Wikisource निवेद्य गुरवे पुनः for CE nivedya gurave dhanam). The page ends the verse with a single daṇḍa; it is read as the verse end.

Verse 25 (12.248.25)

कुर्यात्कृत्वा च तत्सर्वमाख्येयं गुरवे पुनः । यांस्तु गन्धान्रसान्वाऽपि ब्रह्मचारी न सेवते ॥

kuryātkṛtvā ca tatsarvamākhyeyaṃ gurave punaḥ | yāṃstu gandhānrasānvā'pi brahmacārī na sevate

he should do it, and when he has done it all, report it to the teacher once more. The perfumes and flavours that the student does not use,

Note on the text: Lines = CE 12.234.24c and 25a.

Verse 26 (12.248.26)

सेवेत तान्समावृत्त इति धर्मेषु निश्चयः । ये केचिन्नियमेनोक्ता नियमा ब्रह्मचारिणः ॥

seveta tānsamāvṛtta iti dharmeṣu niścayaḥ | ye kecinniyamenoktā niyamā brahmacāriṇaḥ

he may use once he has returned home: this is the settled rule in the texts of dharma. Whatever rules have been laid down for the student,

Note on the text: Lines = CE 12.234.25c and 26a (Wikisource नियमेनोक्ता for CE vistareṇoktā; the page's footnote cites the CE reading as a variant).

Verse 27 (12.248.27)

तान्सर्वाननुगृह्णीयाद्भवेच्चानपगो गुरोः । स एवं गुरवे प्रीतिमुपहृत्य यथाबलम् ॥

tānsarvānanugṛhṇīyādbhaveccānapago guroḥ | sa evaṃ gurave prītimupahṛtya yathābalam

he should observe them all, and never be far from his teacher. Having thus pleased his teacher as far as his strength allows,

Note on the text: Lines = CE 12.234.26c and 27a.

Verse 28 (12.248.28)

आश्रमेष्वाश्रमेष्वेवं शिष्यो वर्तते कर्मणा । वेदव्रतोपवासेन चतुर्थे चायुषो गते । गुरवे दक्षिणां दत्त्वा समावर्तेद्यथाविधि ॥

āśrameṣvāśrameṣvevaṃ śiṣyo vartate karmaṇā | vedavratopavāsena caturthe cāyuṣo gate | gurave dakṣiṇāṃ dattvā samāvartedyathāvidhi

so the pupil conducts himself in each order of life by his actions. With the Vedic vows and fasts, when the fourth part of his life has passed, having given his teacher the fee, he should return home as the rule directs.

Note on the text: Corrected अग्राम्येणा मेष्वेवं → आश्रमेष्वाश्रमेष्वेवं (the printed words are not Sanskrit; CE āśrameṣv āśrameṣv evaṃ, CE 12.234.27c; the page's footnote offers आश्रमादाश्रमेष्वेवम् as a variant), वदव्रतोपवासेन → वेदव्रतोपवासेन, समावतेद्यथातिधि → समावर्तेद्यथाविधि (misprints in Wikisource). Restored the words lost where the page prints dashes: चतुर्थे च------- → चतुर्थे चायुषो गते (from the CE, 12.234.28a), and removed the dashes after यथाविधि. Three lines as on the page (labelled 28a-c) = CE 12.234.27c, 28a, 28c.

Verse 29 (12.248.29)

धर्मलब्धैर्युतो दारैरग्नीनुत्पाद्य यत्नतः । द्वितीयमायुषो भागं गृहमेधी भवेद्व्रती ॥

dharmalabdhairyuto dārairagnīnutpādya yatnataḥ | dvitīyamāyuṣo bhāgaṃ gṛhamedhī bhavedvratī

With a wife lawfully won, and having diligently kindled the sacred fires, he should live the second part of his life as a householder, keeping his vows.

Note on the text: Corrected यनतः → यत्नतः (misprint in Wikisource; CE has dharmataḥ here, so the Wikisource wording is a recension variant).