Shloka 18
भिक्षुलक्षणम्—एकचर्याः, अहिंसा, कैवल्याश्रमः
Marks of the Mendicant: Solitary Wandering, Non-Injury, and the Kaivalya-Discipline
वेदज्ञानि द्वयान्याहु: प्रवक्तूणीतराणि च । प्रवक्तृणि विशिष्टानि सर्वधर्मोपधारणात्
vedajñānī dvayāny āhuḥ pravaktṝṇy itarāṇi ca | pravaktṝṇi viśiṣṭāni sarvadharmopadhāraṇāt ||
ବ୍ୟାସ କହିଲେ—ବେଦଜ୍ଞମାନେ ମଧ୍ୟ ଦୁଇ ପ୍ରକାର—ପ୍ରବକ୍ତା ଓ ଅପ୍ରବକ୍ତା। ସେମାନଙ୍କ ମଧ୍ୟରେ ପ୍ରବକ୍ତା ଶ୍ରେଷ୍ଠ; କାରଣ ସେମାନେ ବେଦରେ ଉପଦିଷ୍ଟ ସମସ୍ତ ଧର୍ମକୁ ଧାରଣ କରନ୍ତି।
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
Vedic learning is not merely private knowledge; the one who can expound and transmit it is considered superior because teaching requires embodying and sustaining the full ethical and ritual framework (sarva-dharma) that the Veda enjoins.
In the didactic setting of the Śānti Parva, Vyāsa classifies Veda-knowers into two groups—expounders and non-expounders—and argues for the higher standing of the expounder, emphasizing the social and ethical responsibility of preserving dharma through instruction.