Shloka 41
Āścarya-kathana: Brāhmaṇa–Nāga Dialogue on Sūrya (Vivasvat) and the ‘Second Sun’ Phenomenon
सनत्कुमारादपि च वीरणो वै प्रजापति: । कृतादौ कुरुशार्दूल धर्ममेतदधीतवान्
sanatkumārād api ca vīraṇo vai prajāpatiḥ | kṛtādau kuruśārdūla dharmam etad adhītavān, nareśvara | tatpaścāt bhagavān sanatkumāraḥ naraśvarāya etat sātvata-dharma-upadeśaṃ prāha | kuruśreṣṭha! sanatkumārāt vīraṇa-prajāpatinā kṛtayugasya ādau asya dharmasya upadeśaḥ gṛhītaḥ ||
Vaiśampāyana dit : Même auprès de Sanatkumāra, le Prajāpati nommé Vīraṇa apprit ce Dharma dès l’aube du Kṛta-yuga, ô roi, tigre parmi les Kurus. Ensuite, le bienheureux Sanatkumāra transmit cet enseignement du Sātvata-Dharma. Ô le meilleur des Kurus, c’est de Sanatkumāra que le Prajāpati Vīraṇa reçut cette instruction du Dharma aux temps les plus anciens du Kṛta-yuga.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse emphasizes the authority of Dharma through an ancient lineage of transmission: Sātvata-Dharma is presented as a venerable teaching received at the very dawn of the Kṛta-yuga, underscoring its timeless ethical and spiritual legitimacy.
Vaiśampāyana describes how the teaching was handed down: Sanatkumāra instructed Vīraṇa Prajāpati at the beginning of the Kṛta age, and this tradition of instruction is being recalled to validate the doctrine being discussed in the Śānti Parva.