Shloka 31
Rathaghoṣa–Saṃjñāna: Damayantī’s Inference and the Dispatch of the Envoy (Āraṇyaka-parva, Adhyāya 71)
प्रच्छन्ना हि महात्मानश्वरन्ति पृथिवीमिमाम् । दैवेन विधिना युक्ता: शास्त्रोक्तैश्न निरूपणै:,“बहुत-से महात्मा प्रच्छन्न रूप धारण करके देवोचित विधि तथा शास्त्रोक्त नियमोंसे युक्त होकर इस पृथ्वीपर विचरते रहते हैं
pracchannā hi mahātmānaś caranti pṛthivīm imām | daivena vidhinā yuktāḥ śāstroktaiś ca nirūpaṇaiḥ ||
Muitos homens de grande alma, ocultos sob disfarce, percorrem esta terra—guiados pela ordenança divina e disciplinados pelas prescrições e regras ensinadas nos śāstras. O dito sugere que a verdadeira virtude pode surgir em formas humildes ou veladas; por isso deve-se tratar os outros com reverência e cautela ética, pois os justos podem estar perto sem serem reconhecidos.
ऋचुपर्ण उवाच
Educational Q&A
One should not judge worth by outward appearance: noble and spiritually advanced people may live incognito. Therefore, ethical conduct—respect, restraint, and adherence to dharma—should be maintained toward all, as providence and śāstric discipline guide the righteous even when they are unrecognized.
Ṛcīparṇa speaks a reflective maxim: he notes that many mahātmās roam the world in concealed forms, living according to divine ordinance and śāstric rules. The statement functions as counsel within the episode, highlighting the possibility of hidden virtue and the need for careful, dharmic behavior.