Shloka 41
Sanatsujāta–Dhṛtarāṣṭra Saṃvāda: Pramāda as Mṛtyu
Chapter 42
धृतराष्ट उवाच आख्यानपज्चमैवेंदिर्भूयिष्ठं कथ्यते जन: । तथा चान्ये चतुर्वेदास्त्रिवेदाश्व॒ तथा परे,धृतराष्ट्रने कहा--मुने! इतिहास-पुराण जिनमें पाँचवाँ है, उन सम्पूर्ण वेदोंके द्वारा कुछ लोगोंका विशेषरूपसे नाम लिया जाता है (अर्थात् वे पंचवेदी कहलाते हैं), दूसरे लोग चतुर्वेदी और त्रिवेदी कहे जाते हैं
dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca—ākhyāna-pañcamaiḥ eva indaiḥ bhūyiṣṭhaṃ kathyate janaḥ | tathā ca anye caturvedāḥ trivedāś ca tathā pare ||
ধৃতরাষ্ট্র বললেন— মুনে! আখ্যানে (ইতিহাস-পুরাণে) পঞ্চম গণ্য করে বেদের সঙ্গে যাঁদের ‘পঞ্চবেদী’ বলা হয়, এমন লোকের নাম বিশেষভাবে প্রচলিত। তদ্রূপ কেউ ‘চতুর্বেদী’, আর কেউ ‘ত্রিবেদী’ বলেও পরিচিত।
धृतराष्ट उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how scriptural learning was socially recognized in graded forms (three-, four-, and ‘five’-Veda learning), and it implicitly affirms the cultural authority of Itihāsa–Purāṇa as a major vehicle for transmitting dharma and sacred knowledge alongside the Vedas.
Dhṛtarāṣṭra questions the sage about a common designation among people: some are called ‘pañcavedī’ because Itihāsa–Purāṇa is treated as a fifth category of sacred learning, while others are known as ‘caturvedī’ or ‘trivedī’ depending on the extent of their Vedic mastery.