Shloka 42
Āścarya-kathana: Brāhmaṇa–Nāga Dialogue on Sūrya (Vivasvat) and the ‘Second Sun’ Phenomenon
वीरणकश्चाप्यधीत्यैनं रैभ्याय मुनये ददौ । रैभ्य: पुत्राय शुद्धाय सुव्रताय सुमेधसे
vaiśampāyana uvāca |
vīraṇakaś cāpy adhītyainaṃ raibhyāya munaye dadau |
raibhyaḥ putrāya śuddhāya suvratāya sumedhase ||
वैशम्पायन उवाच—वीरणकश्चाप्यधीत्यैनं रैभ्याय मुनये ददौ । रैभ्यः पुत्राय शुद्धाय सुव्रताय सुमेधसे । एवं नारायणमुखोद्भवः सात्वतधर्मः पात्रेषु पात्रेषु समर्पितः; कालेन तु पुनरन्तर्हितोऽभवत् ।
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse emphasizes that sacred dharma—here identified as Sātvata dharma associated with Nārāyaṇa—must be preserved through disciplined study and responsible transmission to qualified, ethically pure recipients (śuddha, suvrata, sumedhas).
Vaiśampāyana recounts a chain of transmission: Vīraṇaka learns the doctrine and teaches it to the sage Raibhya; Raibhya then teaches it to his worthy son. The broader context notes that despite such transmission, the teaching later becomes obscured or lost.