Shloka 62
Āścarya-kathana: Brāhmaṇa–Nāga Dialogue on Sūrya (Vivasvat) and the ‘Second Sun’ Phenomenon
एकान्तिनो हि पुरुषा दुर्लभा बहवो नृप । यद्येकान्तिभिराकीर्ण जगत् स्यात् कुरुनन्दन
ekāntino hi puruṣā durlabhā bahavo nṛpa | yady ekāntibhir ākīrṇaṁ jagat syāt kurunandana ||
ନରେଶ୍ୱର! ଭଗବାନଙ୍କ ଅନନ୍ୟ ଭକ୍ତ ଦୁର୍ଲଭ; ଏପରି ପୁରୁଷ ବହୁତ ନୁହେଁ। କୁରୁନନ୍ଦନ! ଯଦି ଜଗତ ଏକାନ୍ତୀମାନଙ୍କରେ ପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣ ହୋଇଯାଏ, ତେବେ ସର୍ବତ୍ର କୃତଯୁଗର ଭାବ ବ୍ୟାପିଯିବ; ସକାମ କର୍ମର କେଉଁଠି ଅନୁଷ୍ଠାନ ରହିବ ନାହିଁ—କାରଣ ସେମାନେ ସର୍ବଭୂତହିତରେ ରତ, ଆତ୍ମଜ୍ଞାନୀ ଓ ଅହିଂସକ ହେବେ।
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Single-minded, exclusive devotion and ethical purity are rare; if such people were widespread—self-knowing, non-violent, and devoted to the welfare of all—society would naturally resemble Satya-yuga, and desire-motivated ritual action would lose its hold.
In the didactic setting of Śānti Parva, Vaiśampāyana addresses a Kuru king, reflecting on the scarcity of truly one-pointed devotees and imagining the moral transformation of the world if such persons were numerous.