Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 179
सहधर्म-प्रश्नः तथा अष्टावक्रोपाख्यान-प्रस्तावः
Inquiry on Sahadharma and the Opening of the Aṣṭāvakra Narrative
नाचिकेताय भगवानाह वैवस्वतो यम: । मार्कण्डेयाय वार्ष्णेय नाचिकेतो5भ्यभाषत,वृष्णिनन्दन! ऐश्वर्यशाली वैवस्वत यमने नाचिकेताको और नाचिकेतने मार्कण्डेय मुनिको यह स्तोत्र प्रदान किया
nāciketāya bhagavān āha vaivasvato yamaḥ | mārkaṇḍeyāya vārṣṇeya nāciketo ’bhyabhāṣata, vṛṣṇinandana | aiśvaryāśālī vaivasvata yamanā nāciketāko aura nāciketane mārkaṇḍeya muniko yaha stotra pradāna kiyā |
Dijo Vāyu: El venerable Yama, hijo de Vivasvān, se lo dijo a Naciketā. Y, oh Vārṣṇeya—descendiente de los Vṛṣṇis, deleite de los Vṛṣṇis—Naciketā, a su vez, lo recitó al sabio Mārkaṇḍeya. Así, este himno, enseñado primero por el glorioso Yama, fue transmitido por Naciketā a Mārkaṇḍeya, mostrando cómo el saber sagrado se preserva mediante maestros dignos y discípulos disciplinados.
वायुदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical importance of preserving and transmitting sacred instruction through a trustworthy lineage: a worthy teacher imparts it, a disciplined recipient retains it, and it is passed on for the welfare of others—showing dharma as continuity of right knowledge and practice.
Vāyu reports a chain of transmission: Yama (Vaivasvata) taught a hymn to Naciketā, and Naciketā later recited or conveyed that same hymn to the sage Mārkaṇḍeya, while addressing the listener as Vārṣṇeya/Vṛṣṇinandana (Kṛṣṇa).