Shloka 933
Adhyāya 208: Aṅgirasī-kanyāḥ
Enumeration of Aṅgiras’ daughters and attribute-names
न चैव द्रह्मेद् दद्याच्च सत्यं चैव सदा वदेत् । श्रेष्ठ पुरुष तीन ही पद बताते हैं--किसीसे द्रोह न करे, दान करे और सदा सत्य ही बोले। यह श्रेष्ठ पुरुषोंका सर्वोत्तम व्रत है
na caiva drohamed dadyāc ca satyaṃ caiva sadā vadet | śreṣṭha-puruṣās trīṇi hi padāni vadanti—kasyacid drohaṃ na kuryāt, dānaṃ kuryāt, sadā satyam eva brūyāt; etat śreṣṭha-puruṣāṇāṃ sarvottamaṃ vratam |
O caçador disse: “Nunca se deve trair quem quer que seja; deve-se dar em caridade; e deve-se sempre dizer a verdade. Estes três são os passos ensinados pelos melhores dos homens — não trair, ser generoso e ser veraz. Este é tido como o voto mais elevado dos nobres.”
व्याध उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse condenses noble conduct into three ethical commitments: do not betray or harm others through treachery (adroha), practice giving (dāna), and speak truth consistently (satya). Together they are presented as the highest vow of the virtuous.
In the Vyādha episode of the Vana Parva, the hunter—despite his humble occupation—articulates refined dharma. Here he instructs by stating a concise rule of life that defines the conduct of ‘śreṣṭha-puruṣas’ (the noble).