Shloka 42
Āścarya-kathana: Brāhmaṇa–Nāga Dialogue on Sūrya (Vivasvat) and the ‘Second Sun’ Phenomenon
वीरणकश्चाप्यधीत्यैनं रैभ्याय मुनये ददौ । रैभ्य: पुत्राय शुद्धाय सुव्रताय सुमेधसे
vaiśampāyana uvāca |
vīraṇakaś cāpy adhītyainaṃ raibhyāya munaye dadau |
raibhyaḥ putrāya śuddhāya suvratāya sumedhase ||
ヴァイシャンパーヤナは語った。「ヴィーラナカもまた、この教えを学び終えると、仙人ライビヤに授けた。ライビヤはさらに、それを自らの子に教えた—行い清らかで、誓戒に堅く、すぐれた理解を備えた者に。かくして、ナーラーヤナの御口より出たと伝えられるサートヴァタ・ダルマは、ふさわしき受け手へと相承されたが、時の流れのうちに再び世に埋もれていった。」
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse emphasizes that sacred dharma—here identified as Sātvata dharma associated with Nārāyaṇa—must be preserved through disciplined study and responsible transmission to qualified, ethically pure recipients (śuddha, suvrata, sumedhas).
Vaiśampāyana recounts a chain of transmission: Vīraṇaka learns the doctrine and teaches it to the sage Raibhya; Raibhya then teaches it to his worthy son. The broader context notes that despite such transmission, the teaching later becomes obscured or lost.