Shloka 31
Rathaghoṣa–Saṃjñāna: Damayantī’s Inference and the Dispatch of the Envoy (Āraṇyaka-parva, Adhyāya 71)
प्रच्छन्ना हि महात्मानश्वरन्ति पृथिवीमिमाम् । दैवेन विधिना युक्ता: शास्त्रोक्तैश्न निरूपणै:,“बहुत-से महात्मा प्रच्छन्न रूप धारण करके देवोचित विधि तथा शास्त्रोक्त नियमोंसे युक्त होकर इस पृथ्वीपर विचरते रहते हैं
pracchannā hi mahātmānaś caranti pṛthivīm imām | daivena vidhinā yuktāḥ śāstroktaiś ca nirūpaṇaiḥ ||
Muchos hombres de gran alma, ocultos bajo un disfraz, recorren esta tierra—guiados por la ordenanza divina y disciplinados por los preceptos y reglas enseñados en los śāstras. Con ello se da a entender que la virtud verdadera puede presentarse en formas humildes o veladas; por eso debe tratarse a los demás con reverencia y cautela moral, pues los justos pueden estar cerca sin ser reconocidos.
ऋचुपर्ण उवाच
Educational Q&A
One should not judge worth by outward appearance: noble and spiritually advanced people may live incognito. Therefore, ethical conduct—respect, restraint, and adherence to dharma—should be maintained toward all, as providence and śāstric discipline guide the righteous even when they are unrecognized.
Ṛcīparṇa speaks a reflective maxim: he notes that many mahātmās roam the world in concealed forms, living according to divine ordinance and śāstric rules. The statement functions as counsel within the episode, highlighting the possibility of hidden virtue and the need for careful, dharmic behavior.