Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 45
भीष्मस्योत्तरायणप्रतीक्षा तथा युधिष्ठिरागमनम् | Bhīṣma’s uttarāyaṇa moment and Yudhiṣṭhira’s arrival
सनत्कुमारप्रमुखास्तिष्ठन्ति तपसान्विता: । तस्मात् स वाग्मी धर्मज्ञो नमस्यो द्विजपुज्रवा:
sanatkumārapramukhās tiṣṭhanti tapasānvitāḥ | tasmāt sa vāgmī dharmajño namasyo dvijapuṅgavaḥ ||
Sanatkumāra and the other foremost sages abide, endowed with austerity. Therefore, O best of the twice-born, that eloquent Lord, knower of dharma, is worthy of reverent salutation—one should bow to Him; for worship of the all-pervading Supreme brings attainment of the highest dharma, and the sages He created remain ever engaged in penance for the welfare of the world.
ईश्वर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that the highest dharma is attained through reverent devotion to the Supreme—who is eloquent and perfectly knows dharma—and that the exemplary austerities of sages like Sanatkumāra model steadfast spiritual discipline; therefore, one should continually offer salutations to that Lord.
Īśvara speaks, pointing to Sanatkumāra and other great sages who remain absorbed in tapas, and uses their presence as evidence of the Lord’s dharmic order; the listener (addressed as ‘best of the twice-born’) is instructed to honor and bow to the dharma-knowing, eloquent divine figure (contextually identified with Vāsudeva).