Shloka 39
Śakaṭa-bhañjana, Naming by Garga, Dāmodara and Yamala-arjuna, and the Move to Vṛndāvana
न रेजे ऽन्तरितश् चन्द्रो निर्मलो मलिनैर् घनैः सद्वाक्यवादो मूर्खाणां प्रगल्भाभिर् इवोक्तिभिः
na reje 'ntaritaś candro nirmalo malinair ghanaiḥ sadvākyavādo mūrkhāṇāṃ pragalbhābhir ivoktibhiḥ
മലിനമായ ഇരുണ്ട മേഘങ്ങൾ മറച്ചാൽ നിർമ്മല ചന്ദ്രൻ പ്രകാശിക്കില്ല; അതുപോലെ മൂഢന്മാരുടെ ഇടയിൽ സത്യവും മഹത്തുമായ വാക്കുകളുടെ സംവാദം അവരുടെ ധാർഷ്ട്യവചനങ്ങളാൽ മങ്ങിപ്പോകുന്നു।
Sage Parāśara (to Maitreya)
Speaker: Parasara
Teaching: Ethical
Quality: didactic-with-simile
Avatara: Krishna
Purpose: To illuminate dharma and truth, though the unfit may obscure it by noisy arrogance—highlighting the need for adhikāra (fitness) in receiving wisdom.
Leela: Dharma-upadesa
Dharma Restored: Protection of satya and sādhu-vāk (truthful, noble speech) through discernment and right audience.
Concept: Truthful, refined teaching cannot shine where arrogance and ignorance loudly cover it, as clouds veil the moon.
Vedantic Theme: Dharma
Application: Choose satsanga and cultivate listening (śravaṇa) discipline; avoid argumentative environments that reward volume over truth.
Vishishtadvaita: The Lord’s truth is self-luminous, yet its reception depends on the jīva’s preparedness—an emphasis on adhikāra within a theistic Vedānta.
Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman
Bhakti Type: Shanta
FAQs
It illustrates how intrinsic purity (like the moon’s light) can be temporarily hidden when surrounded by corrupting influences—here, the moral darkness of Kali-yuga.
He suggests that truthful, well-spoken instruction loses its effect among the foolish because their loud, shameless speech overwhelms and obscures what is virtuous.
Even as dharma becomes obscured in Kali-yuga, Vishnu remains the supreme ground of order and restoration; the verse underscores the need to seek the divine standard of truth beyond societal noise.