Shloka 55
Āścarya-kathana: Brāhmaṇa–Nāga Dialogue on Sūrya (Vivasvat) and the ‘Second Sun’ Phenomenon
एवमेष महान् धर्म आद्यो राजन् सनातन: । दुरविज्ञियो दुष्करश्न सात्वतैर्धार्यते सदा
evam eṣa mahān dharma ādyō rājan sanātanaḥ | duravijñeyo duṣkaraś ca sātvatair dhāryate sadā, rājan ||
एवमेष महान् धर्म आद्यो राजन् सनातनः । दुरविज्ञेयो दुष्करश्च सात्वतैर्धार्यते सदा ॥
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse emphasizes that the highest, ancient Dharma is both subtle (hard to comprehend) and demanding (hard to practice), and that steadfast devotees of the Lord are the ones who consistently sustain and embody it.
Vaiśampāyana, addressing the king (Janamejaya), concludes or reinforces an instruction on Dharma by characterizing it as primordial and eternal, noting its difficulty for ordinary people, and highlighting that the Sātvatas (the Lord’s devotees) continually uphold it.