Shloka 63
Āścarya-kathana: Brāhmaṇa–Nāga Dialogue on Sūrya (Vivasvat) and the ‘Second Sun’ Phenomenon
अहिंसकैरात्मविद्धि: सर्वभूतहिते रतै: । भवेत् कृतयुगप्राप्तिराशी:कर्मविवर्जिता,नरेश्वर! भगवानके अनन्य भक्त दुर्लभ हैं, क्योंकि ऐसे पुरुष बहुत नहीं हुआ करते। कुरुनन्दन! यदि सम्पूर्ण भूतोंके हितमें तत्पर रहनेवाले, आत्मज्ञानी, अहिंसक एवं अनन्य भक्तोंसे जगत् भर जाय तो यहाँ सर्वत्र सत्ययुग ही छा जाय और कहीं भी सकाम कर्मोंका अनुष्ठान न हो
vaiśampāyana uvāca | ahiṃsakair ātmavidbhiḥ sarvabhūtahite rataiḥ | bhavet kṛtayugaprāptir āśīḥ karmavivarjitā, nareśvara |
O king, if the world were filled with non-violent people—self-knowers devoted to the welfare of all beings—then the coming of the Kṛta (Satya) Yuga would be realized here, and the pursuit of desire-driven, reward-seeking rites would fall away. Such single-minded devotees of the Lord are rare, for men of that kind are not many.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse links social harmony to inner realization: when people are grounded in non-violence, Self-knowledge, and active concern for all beings, society naturally takes on the qualities of the Kṛta (Satya) Yuga. In such a moral climate, desire-driven, reward-seeking ritualism loses its hold, because conduct is guided by wisdom and compassion rather than by personal gain.
In Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma and peace, Vaiśampāyana addresses the king and describes an ideal moral order. He portrays the rarity of truly single-minded devotees and explains that if such persons—non-violent and devoted to universal welfare—were widespread, the world would resemble the Satya Yuga and selfishly motivated actions would cease.