Shloka 5
Nakula’s Counsel on Yajña, Dāna, and Tyāga (नकुलोपदेशः—यज्ञदानत्यागविचारः)
वेदवादापविद्धांस्तु तान् विद्धि भृशनास्तिकान् । न हि वेदोक्तमुत्सृज्य विप्र: सर्वेषु कर्मसु
vedavādāpaviddhāṁs tu tān viddhi bhṛśanāstikān | na hi vedoktam utsṛjya vipraḥ sarveṣu karmasu
वेदवादापविद्धांस्तु तान् विद्धि भृशमास्तिकान्। न हि वेदोक्तमुत्सृज्य विप्रः सर्वेषु कर्मसु॥
नकुल उवाच
Educational Q&A
Nakula asserts that rejecting the authority of Vedic teaching marks one as a thorough nāstika, and that a brāhmaṇa’s ethical-religious integrity lies in not setting aside Vedic injunctions in the performance of duties.
Within the Shānti Parva’s reflective discourse on dharma after the war, Nakula speaks to define a boundary of orthodox conduct: adherence to Vedic injunctions, especially as a standard for brāhmaṇas, and a critique of those who discard that standard.