Shloka 21
कृतयुगवर्णनम् तथा राजधर्मोपदेशः
Kṛtayuga Description and Instruction on Royal Dharma
यद्येष पुरुषो वेद वेदा अपि न त॑ विदुः । सर्वमाश्नर्यमेवैतन्निवृत्तं राजसत्तम
yadyeṣa puruṣo veda vedā api na taṁ viduḥ | sarvam āścaryam evaitan nivṛttaṁ rājasattama ||
Waiśampāyana berkata: “Jika orang ini sungguh mengetahui kebenaran, maka bahkan Weda pun tidak ‘mengetahui’ dia—begitu halus dan melampaui jangkauan biasa keadaannya. Semuanya ini sungguh menakjubkan, wahai raja terbaik, sebab ia telah berpaling dari urusan dunia dan berdiri dalam keadaan menarik diri (dari hasrat dan tindakan).”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the paradox that ultimate realization can transcend even scriptural description: a truly withdrawn, desireless knower may be ‘beyond’ what the Vedas can fully capture in words, emphasizing lived renunciation over mere textual learning.
Vaiśampāyana comments to a king (addressed as ‘best of kings’) about an extraordinary person’s state: the person is described as having turned away from worldly engagement, and this withdrawal is presented as a marvel that surpasses ordinary understanding.