Shloka 176
युधिष्ठिरकृष्णसंवादः — Yudhiṣṭhira’s Appeal and Kṛṣṇa’s Assurance
Droṇa-parva, Adhyāya 59
शिष्टेष्टयज्ञकर्माण: सर्वे वर्णास्तदाभवन् | उन दिनों लोग अधर्ममें रुचि रखनेवाले, लोभी और मूर्ख नहीं होते थे। उस समय सभी वर्णके लोग अपने लिये शास्त्रविहित यज्ञ-यागादि कर्मोंका अनुष्ठान करते थे
śiṣṭeṣṭa-yajña-karmāṇaḥ sarve varṇās tadābhavan |
Nārada berkata: Pada masa itu, semua golongan masyarakat hidup menurut ritus yang disetujui para bijak dan melaksanakan kewajiban yajña yang diperintahkan kitab suci. Tak seorang pun condong pada adharma; tiada yang serakah, tiada yang tersesat. Setiap kelompok menegakkan tata ibadah dan kewajiban yang ditetapkan baginya.
नारद उवाच
Educational Q&A
A society remains aligned with dharma when people follow śāstra-guided duties and the standards of the śiṣṭas (the learned and ethically disciplined), avoiding greed, delusion, and attraction to adharma.
Nārada describes an earlier, more righteous time: all varṇas performed their prescribed yajñas and duties, and people were not characterized by greed, folly, or a taste for unrighteous conduct.