Shloka 62
Āścarya-kathana: Brāhmaṇa–Nāga Dialogue on Sūrya (Vivasvat) and the ‘Second Sun’ Phenomenon
एकान्तिनो हि पुरुषा दुर्लभा बहवो नृप । यद्येकान्तिभिराकीर्ण जगत् स्यात् कुरुनन्दन
ekāntino hi puruṣā durlabhā bahavo nṛpa | yady ekāntibhir ākīrṇaṁ jagat syāt kurunandana ||
नरेश्वर! भगवान् के अनन्य भक्त दुर्लभ हैं; ऐसे पुरुष बहुत नहीं होते। कुरुनन्दन! यदि जगत् एकान्तियों से भर जाय, तो सर्वत्र कृतयुग का भाव छा जाय; सकाम कर्मों का कहीं अनुष्ठान न रहे—क्योंकि वे सब भूतों के हित में रत, आत्मज्ञानी और अहिंसक होंगे।
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Single-minded, exclusive devotion and ethical purity are rare; if such people were widespread—self-knowing, non-violent, and devoted to the welfare of all—society would naturally resemble Satya-yuga, and desire-motivated ritual action would lose its hold.
In the didactic setting of Śānti Parva, Vaiśampāyana addresses a Kuru king, reflecting on the scarcity of truly one-pointed devotees and imagining the moral transformation of the world if such persons were numerous.