Shloka 42
Ajñātavāsa-saṅkalpaḥ — Yudhiṣṭhira’s Resolve and Dhaumya’s Exempla on Concealment
आत्मन्यपि न विश्वासस्तथा भवति सत्सु यः । तस्मात् सत्सु विशेषेण सर्व: प्रणयमिच्छति,मनुष्यको अपने-आपपर भी उतना विश्वास नहीं होता है, जितना संतोंपर होता है। इसलिये सब लोग संतोंसे विशेष प्रेम करना चाहते हैं
ātmany api na viśvāsaḥ tathā bhavati satsu yaḥ | tasmāt satsu viśeṣeṇa sarvaḥ praṇayam icchati ||
Ni siquiera en uno mismo nace una confianza tal como la que se deposita en los verdaderamente buenos y santos. Por eso, todos buscan de manera especial el afecto y el vínculo amoroso con los virtuosos, pues su rectitud se vuelve refugio para los demás.
यम उवाच
Educational Q&A
Human confidence is often unstable even toward oneself, but it becomes firm when placed in the truly virtuous; hence people naturally seek closeness and affectionate regard (praṇaya) toward saints, whose character provides reliable moral shelter.
Yama is speaking and articulating a principle of dharma: the social and ethical power of the sat (the virtuous) is such that others trust them more than their own wavering minds, so people are drawn to them with special affection and reverence.