Shloka 25
शकुनि (हिरण्मय-पक्षी) उपदेशः — Vighasāśin and the Difficulty of Gārhasthya
तस्मात् स्वधर्ममास्थाय सुव्रता: सत्यवादिन: । लोकस््य गुरवो भूत्वा ते भवन्त्यनुपस्कृता:,इसलिये अपने धर्मपर आरूढ़ हो उत्तम व्रतका पालन और सत्यभाषण करते हुए वे जगदगुरु होकर सर्वथा संदेहरहित हो जाते हैं
tasmāt svadharmam āsthāya suvratāḥ satyavādinaḥ | lokasya guravo bhūtvā te bhavanty anupaskṛtāḥ ||
Therefore, standing firmly in their own dharma, observing noble vows and speaking truth, they become teachers for the world; and thus they remain wholly untainted and free from inner doubt or moral blemish.
अजुन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that steadfastness in one’s own dharma, combined with disciplined vows and truthfulness, elevates a person into a moral guide for society and keeps one inwardly pure—free from ethical taint and the doubts that arise from compromised conduct.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction-oriented setting, the speaker frames an ethical conclusion: those who adhere to their rightful duty and practice truth and restraint become exemplary authorities for the wider world, embodying credibility and purity rather than suspicion or moral confusion.