Mahabharata — Shanti Parva, Shloka 50
नारद–शुक संवादः
Impermanence, Svabhāva, and Śuka’s Resolve for Yoga
साड्रोपाड्ानपि यदि यश्न वेदानधीयते । वेदवेद्यं न जानीते वेदभारवहो हि सः,सांगोपांग वेद पढ़कर भी जो वेदोंके द्वारा जाननेके योग्य परमेश्वरको नहीं जानता, वह मूढ़ केवल वेदोंका बोझ ढोनेवाला है
sāṅgopāṅgān api yadi yaḥ naraḥ vedān adhīyate | veda-vedyaṃ na jānīte veda-bhāra-vaho hi saḥ ||
Yājñavalkya berkata: “Sekalipun seseorang mempelajari Weda beserta seluruh bagian penunjang dan pelengkapnya, bila ia tidak mengenal Dia yang harus dikenal melalui Weda, maka sesungguhnya ia hanyalah pemikul beban Weda—belajar tanpa penyadaran.”
याज़्ञवल्क्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
Scriptural learning, even when complete with all auxiliaries, is incomplete if it does not culminate in knowing the Veda’s intended object—Brahman/Īśvara. Knowledge that remains only verbal or ritual becomes a burden rather than liberation.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma and liberation, Yājñavalkya emphasizes the difference between mere recitation/scholastic mastery of the Vedas and true realization of the Supreme that the Vedas point toward.