Mahabharata 3.2.76 — Vana Parva, Adhyaya 2, Shloka 76
ब्राह्मणानुयात्रा—शौनकोपदेशः
Brāhmaṇas Follow into Exile and Śaunaka’s Instruction
अत्र पूर्वक्षतुर्वर्ग: पितृयाणपथे स्थित: । कर्तव्यमिति यत् कार्य नाभिमानात् समाचरेत्
atra pūrvakṣaturvargaḥ pitṛyāṇapathe sthitaḥ | kartavyam iti yat kāryaṃ nābhimānāt samācaret |
येथे पूर्वी सांगितलेला चार धर्मांचा वर्ग पितृयान-पथावर स्थित आहे; म्हणजे हे चारही जर फलाची इच्छा ठेवून आचरले, तर ते पितृयान मार्गाने नेतात. परंतु अग्निहोत्र, संध्योपासनादी जे नित्य-कर्तव्य कर्म आहेत, ती केवळ कर्तव्यबुद्धीने, अभिमान सोडून करावीत.
शौनक उवाच
Educational Q&A
Obligatory duties should be performed from a sense of responsibility (kartavya-buddhi), not from ego or pride; and when duties are pursued with desire for results, they are said to align with the Pitṛyāna path.
Śaunaka is articulating a doctrinal distinction about motivation in dharma: certain previously listed duties, when done with fruit-seeking intent, are associated with the Pitṛyāna route, while obligatory rites and daily disciplines should be done without self-importance.
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