Shloka 26
मोक्षोपाय-निर्णयः
Determination of the Means to Liberation
श्रेयस: श्रेयसो<प्येवं वृत्तं लोको<नुवर्तते । सदैव हि गुरोर्वृत्तमनुवर्तन्ति मानवा:
śreyasaḥ śreyaso 'pyevaṁ vṛttaṁ loko 'nuvartate | sadaiva hi guror vṛttam anuvartanti mānavāḥ ||
Assim, as pessoas seguem a conduta de quem é excelente—e até do melhor entre os bons. Pois os seres humanos, por sua própria natureza, sempre imitam o comportamento de seus mais velhos e mestres.
हुमत्सेन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Society takes its moral direction from exemplars: people naturally imitate the conduct of the best persons, especially elders and teachers; therefore the virtuous must be careful that their behavior itself teaches dharma.
In the didactic setting of the Śānti Parva, Humatsena states a general principle about human psychology and social ethics: the world follows the behavior of superior persons, and humans habitually copy the conduct of gurus and elders.