Shloka 44
Agni’s Withdrawal to the Forest and Identification with Āṅgirasa (अग्न्याङ्गिरस-इतिहासः)
मातापितृभ्यां शुश्रूषु: सत्यवादी जितेन्द्रिय:,मिथिलामें एक व्याध रहता है, जो माता-पिताका सेवक, सत्यवादी और जितेन्द्रिय है, वह तुम्हें धर्मका उपदेश करेगा। द्विजश्रेष्ठ! तुम अपनी रुचिके अनुसार वहीं जाओ, तुम्हारा मंगल हो
mātāpitṛbhyāṃ śuśrūṣuḥ satyavādī jitendriyaḥ | mithilāyāṃ ekaḥ vyādhaḥ vasati, yaḥ mātā-pitṛ-sevakaḥ satyavādī ca jitendriyaś ca | sa te dharmam upadekṣyati | dvijaśreṣṭha! tvaṃ yathāruci tatraiva gaccha; te maṅgalaṃ bhavatu ||
Brahmana itu berkata: “Di Mithilā ada seorang pemburu yang berbakti melayani ibu bapanya, benar dalam tutur kata, dan menguasai inderanya. Dialah yang akan mengajarkan dharma kepadamu. Wahai yang terbaik antara yang dua kali lahir, pergilah ke sana menurut pertimbanganmu—semoga kebaikan menyertaimu.”
ब्राह्मण उवाच
Educational Q&A
Dharma is grounded in truthfulness, self-mastery, and devoted service to one’s parents; genuine ethical authority can reside even in someone of a socially humble occupation, such as a hunter.
A Brahmin directs the inquirer to travel to Mithilā to meet a hunter renowned for serving his parents and living truthfully with controlled senses, assuring that this hunter will provide instruction on dharma.