Shloka 29

Pratyakṣa–Āgama–Ācāra: Doubt, Proof, and the Practice of Dharma (प्रत्यक्ष–आगम–आचारविचारः)

Devanagari script

सर्ववेदेषु वा स्नान सर्वभूतेषु चार्जवम्‌ । उभे एते समे स्यातामार्जवं वा विशिष्यते

Transliteration

sarvavedeṣu vā snānaṁ sarvabhūteṣu cārjavam | ubhe ete same syātām ārjavaṁ vā viśiṣyate ||

Translation

Mahādeva sprach: „Ob man das in allen Veden vorgeschriebene Reinigungsbad vollzieht oder Geradheit gegenüber allen Lebewesen übt — beides kann als gleich gelten; doch die Geradheit (Integrität) ist höher.“

Word by Word

सर्ववेदेषुin all the Vedas

वाor

स्नानम्bathing (ritual bath)

सर्वभूतेषुamong/in all beings

चand

आर्जवम्straightforwardness, honesty

उभेboth

एतेthese (two)

समेequal

स्याताम्might be / would be

आर्जवम्straightforwardness, honesty

वाor (rather)

विशिष्यतेis superior/excels

Speaker

श्रीमहेश्वर उवाच

Characters & Entities

Śrī Maheśvara (Mahādeva/Śiva)

Vedas

sarvabhūta (all beings)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Moral integrity (ārjava)—being honest and straightforward with all beings—is at least equal to, and ultimately superior to, external ritual purification such as Vedic bathing. Inner virtue is presented as the highest form of purity.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Anuśāsana Parva, Mahādeva speaks as a teacher of dharma, contrasting ritual observance (Vedic purificatory bathing) with ethical conduct (straightforwardness toward all beings), and declaring ethical integrity to be the greater excellence.