Shloka 26
धर्मद्वारबहुत्वविमर्शः — Reflection on the Many ‘Doors’ of Dharma (Śānti-parva 342)
प्रमाणानि हि पूज्यानि ततस्तं पूजयाम्यहम् । यस्तं वेत्ति स मां वेत्ति योडनुतं स हि मामनु
pramāṇāni hi pūjyāni tatastam pūjayāmyaham | yastaṃ vetti sa māṃ vetti yo 'nutaṃ sa hi māmanu ||
Arjuna disse: “Os padrões de autoridade são dignos de reverência; por isso eu o reverencio. Quem verdadeiramente o conhece, conhece a mim; e quem o segue, em verdade segue a mim também.”
अर्जुन उवाच
Educational Q&A
True authority (pramāṇa) deserves reverence, and honoring a genuine source of right knowledge is itself an ethical act. The verse also stresses identification through understanding and loyal following: knowing the rightly established person/standard is equivalent to knowing the speaker, and following that person is tantamount to following the speaker.
Arjuna speaks in a reflective, didactic context within Śānti Parva, affirming respect for recognized authorities and aligning himself with a figure whose knowledge and conduct are presented as authoritative. He declares a bond of recognition and discipleship: understanding and following that figure amounts to understanding and following Arjuna.