Shloka 42
Agni’s Withdrawal to the Forest and Identification with Āṅgirasa (अग्न्याङ्गिरस-इतिहासः)
बहुधा दृश्यते धर्म: सूक्ष्म एव द्विजोत्तम । भवानपि च धर्मज्ञ: स्वाध्यायनिरत: शुचि:,द्विजश्रेष्ठ! बहुधा धर्मका स्वरूप सूक्ष्म ही देखा जाता है। तुम भी धर्मज्ञ, स्वाध्यायपरायण और पवित्र हो
bahudhā dṛśyate dharmaḥ sūkṣma eva dvijottama | bhavān api ca dharmajñaḥ svādhyāyanirataḥ śuciḥ ||
“O best of the twice-born, dharma is seen in many ways, and indeed it is subtle. You too are a knower of dharma—devoted to sacred study and inwardly pure.”
ब्राह्मण उवाच
Educational Q&A
Dharma is not always obvious; it can appear in multiple forms and is subtle to judge. Therefore, discernment grounded in learning (svādhyāya), purity, and ethical understanding is essential when deciding what is right.
A Brahmin speaker addresses another respected Brahmin, acknowledging his learning and purity, and frames the discussion by emphasizing that dharma is complex and subtle—setting up or supporting a moral inquiry or decision.