Shloka 44
Agni’s Withdrawal to the Forest and Identification with Āṅgirasa (अग्न्याङ्गिरस-इतिहासः)
मातापितृभ्यां शुश्रूषु: सत्यवादी जितेन्द्रिय:,मिथिलामें एक व्याध रहता है, जो माता-पिताका सेवक, सत्यवादी और जितेन्द्रिय है, वह तुम्हें धर्मका उपदेश करेगा। द्विजश्रेष्ठ! तुम अपनी रुचिके अनुसार वहीं जाओ, तुम्हारा मंगल हो
mātāpitṛbhyāṃ śuśrūṣuḥ satyavādī jitendriyaḥ | mithilāyāṃ ekaḥ vyādhaḥ vasati, yaḥ mātā-pitṛ-sevakaḥ satyavādī ca jitendriyaś ca | sa te dharmam upadekṣyati | dvijaśreṣṭha! tvaṃ yathāruci tatraiva gaccha; te maṅgalaṃ bhavatu ||
The Brahmin said: “In Mithilā there lives a hunter who is devoted to serving his mother and father, truthful in speech, and master of his senses. He will instruct you in dharma. O best of the twice-born, go there as you deem fit—may good befall you.”
ब्राह्मण उवाच
Educational Q&A
Dharma is grounded in truthfulness, self-mastery, and devoted service to one’s parents; genuine ethical authority can reside even in someone of a socially humble occupation, such as a hunter.
A Brahmin directs the inquirer to travel to Mithilā to meet a hunter renowned for serving his parents and living truthfully with controlled senses, assuring that this hunter will provide instruction on dharma.