Shloka 70

Devanagari script

एते वेदविदो मुख्या वेदाचार्याश्व कल्पिता: । प्रवृत्तिधर्मिणश्वैव प्राजापत्ये च कल्पिता:,'ये प्रधान वेदवेत्ता और प्रवृत्ति-धर्मावलम्बी हैं। इन सबको वेदाचार्य माना गया है और प्रजापतिके पदपर प्रतिष्ठित किया गया है

Transliteration

ete vedavido mukhyā vedācāryāś ca kalpitāḥ | pravṛttidharmiṇaś caiva prājāpatye ca kalpitāḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana sprach: „Diese sind die vornehmsten Kenner der Veden und gelten als vedische Lehrer. Da sie der Dharma des tätigen Wirkens (pravṛtti) folgen, werden sie auch als im Prinzip des Prajāpati gefestigt angesehen — der zeugenden und welterhaltenden Ordnung.“

Word by Word

एतेthese

वेदविदःknowers of the Veda

मुख्याःchief, foremost

वेदाचार्याःteachers/masters of the Veda

चand

कल्पिताःappointed/considered

प्रवृत्तिधर्मिणःfollowers of the pravṛtti-dharma (active/engaged duty)

चand

एवindeed, just

प्राजापत्येin/at the Prajāpatya (state/office/realm of Prajāpati)

चand

कल्पिताःappointed/established

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Veda

Vedic teachers (vedācārya)

Prajāpati

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?

The verse affirms that true Veda-knowers, especially those who uphold pravṛtti-dharma (responsible action in society), are to be recognized as authoritative Vedic teachers and as aligned with the Prajāpati-oriented order that sustains creation and social continuity.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana, in the didactic discourse of the Śānti Parva, classifies and honors a group of learned persons: they are identified as foremost Veda-knowers, acknowledged as Vedic preceptors, and described as established in the Prajāpati principle—emphasizing their role in maintaining worldly and ritual order through active duty.