Adhyāya 39 — Yudhiṣṭhira’s inquiry on attachment (saṅga) and relational restraint
एतत् पृथिव्याममृतमेतच्चक्षुरनुत्तमम् । यद् ब्राह्मणमुखात् शास्त्रमिह श्रुत्वा प्रवर्तते
etat pṛthivyām amṛtam etac cakṣur anuttamam | yad brāhmaṇamukhāt śāstram iha śrutvā pravartate ||
ນີ້ແມ່ນນ້ຳອະມະຕະອັນປະເສີດທີ່ສຸດໃນແຜ່ນດິນ ແລະນີ້ແມ່ນ “ຕາ” ແຫ່ງປັນຍາອັນຫາທຽບບໍ່ໄດ້: ຄືການທີ່ຜູ້ໜຶ່ງໄດ້ຟັງຄຳສອນແຫ່ງຊາສະຕຣາ (śāstra) ຈາກປາກຂອງພຣາຫມະນະ (brāhmaṇa) ແລ້ວດຳເນີນຊີວິດຕາມນັ້ນໃນຊີວິດນີ້ເອງ. ຄວາມໝາຍຄື ອະມະຕະພາບແທ້ ແລະການເຫັນແທ້ ເກີດຈາກການຟັງຄຳຊີ້ນຳອັນຖືກຕ້ອງ ແລະນຳໄປປະພຶດເປັນວິຖີປະຈຳຕົນ.
शम्बर उवाच
The verse teaches that the highest benefit in human life is not merely hearing sacred instruction, but hearing it from a qualified brāhmaṇa-teacher and then embodying it in conduct. Such lived adherence to śāstra is called the supreme ‘amṛta’ (life-giving, death-transcending good) and the supreme ‘eye’ (clear moral discernment).
Śambara is speaking and praises the transformative power of receiving śāstric guidance from a brāhmaṇa and acting upon it. The statement functions as a didactic affirmation within Anuśāsana Parva’s broader emphasis on instruction (anuśāsana), ethical discipline, and the authority of dharma-teaching.