Shloka 38
Dvārakāyāṃ Sāhāyya-vibhāgaḥ (Alliance Allocation at Dvārakā) / उद्योगपर्व अध्याय ७
विद्याविनयसम्पन्ने ब्राह्मणे गवि हस्तिनि । शुनि चैव श्वपाके च पण्डिता: समदर्शिन: ।।
vidyā-vinaya-sampanne brāhmaṇe gavi hastini | śuni caiva śvapāke ca paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ ||
The wise behold with equal vision the learned and humble brāhmaṇa, a cow, an elephant, a dog, and even one who lives by eating dog’s flesh. The ethical point is not to erase differences of conduct or duty, but to recognize the same indwelling Self in all beings and to restrain contempt, cruelty, and partiality born of social rank or species.
वायुदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
True wisdom expresses itself as sama-darśana—seeing the same inner Self in all beings—thereby curbing pride, hatred, and discrimination, and grounding ethical conduct in compassion and restraint.
The verse is a doctrinal statement rather than a plot event: it presents a standard of the paṇḍita (the truly wise) as one who maintains an equal, non-contemptuous vision across social categories and species, emphasizing inner reality over external status.