Shloka 272
Viṣṇor Māhātmya and Indriya-saṃyama (विष्णोर्माहात्म्यं तथा इन्द्रियसंयमः)
अहिंसा ही सम्पूर्ण धर्म है। हिंसा अधर्म है और अधर्म अहितकारक होता है। अब मैं तुम्हें सत्यका महत्त्व बताऊँगा, जो सत्यवादी पुरुषोंका परम धर्म है ।। इति श्रीमहाभारते शान्तिपर्वणि मोक्षधर्मपर्वणि यज्ञनिन्दानाम द्विसप्तत्यधिकद्धिशततमो<5ध्याय:
Nārada uvāca: ahiṃsā hi sampūrṇo dharmaḥ. hiṃsā adharmaḥ, adharmaś ca ahitakārakaḥ bhavati. adhunāhaṃ te satyasya māhātmyaṃ vakṣyāmi, yat satyavādināṃ puruṣāṇāṃ paramo dharmaḥ.
Nārada sprach: „Nichtverletzen ist wahrlich die vollkommene Gestalt des Dharma. Gewalt ist Adharma, und Adharma bringt Unheil. Nun will ich euch die Größe der Wahrheit darlegen—denn Wahrhaftigkeit ist die höchste Pflicht derer, die dem wahren Wort ergeben sind.“
नारद उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse asserts a moral hierarchy: ahiṃsā (non-violence) is presented as the complete essence of dharma, while hiṃsā (violence) is adharma and therefore harmful. It then introduces satya (truthfulness) as the supreme duty of those committed to truth, preparing for a fuller exposition on the power and value of truth.
Nārada is speaking in the Mokṣa-dharma section of the Śānti Parva, delivering ethical instruction. He concludes a point about non-violence versus violence and transitions to the next topic: explaining the greatness of truth and the dharma of truth-speaking persons.