Shloka 23
Vasiṣṭha on Saṃsāra, Guṇas, and Misattributed Agency
Mahābhārata 12.292
पुरुषसिंह! अग्नि, आत्मा, माता, जन्म देनेवाले पिता तथा गुरु--इन सबकी यथायोग्य सेवा करनी चाहिये ।।
puruṣasiṃha! agniḥ, ātmā, mātā, janma-dātā pitā tathā guruḥ—eteṣāṃ sarveṣāṃ yathā-yogyaṃ sevā kartavyā. mānaṃ tyaktvā yo naro vṛddha-sevī vidvān klībaḥ paśyati prīti-yogāt; dākṣyeṇa hīno dharma-yukto na dāntaḥ loke'smin vai pūjyate sadbhir āryaḥ.
パラーシャラは言った。「人中の最勝者よ、火、自己、母、産みの父、そして師に対して、それぞれにふさわしい作法をもって相応の奉仕をなすべきである。驕りを捨てて長老に仕え、学識があり、欲楽への執着を離れ、すべてを慈しみの心で見、私利のための狡さを持たず、ダルマに専心して他者を圧迫も害もしない者—その人はこの世で高貴と見なされ、徳ある人々に敬われる。」
पराशर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches a hierarchy of reverence and ethical refinement: serve Fire (sacred duty), the Self (inner discipline), mother, father, and guru appropriately; abandon pride; honor elders; cultivate learning, freedom from sensual attachment, goodwill toward all, straightforwardness (not calculating cunning), commitment to dharma, and non-oppression. Such a person becomes truly noble and is honored by the virtuous.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction-oriented setting, the sage Parāśara addresses a ‘best of men’ and lays down practical marks of an exemplary person—defined not by power or status but by service, humility, benevolence, and harmlessness—framing these as standards by which society rightly honors someone.