Shloka 23
Adhyāya 302: Guṇa-vicāra, Gati-bheda, and the Imperishable State
Yājñavalkya–Janaka
अविधिश्व विधिश्वैव समुत्पन्नौ तथैकतः । विद्याविद्येति विख्याते श्रूतिशास्त्रार्थचिन्तकै:,अविधि (ज्ञान) और विधि (कर्म) की उत्पत्ति भी उस परमात्मासे ही हुई है। श्रुति तथा शास्त्रके अर्थका विचार करनेवाले विद्वानोंने उन्हें विद्या और अविद्या बतलाया है
avidhiś ca vidhiś caiva samutpannau tathaikataḥ | vidyāvidyeti vikhyāte śrutiśāstrārthacintakaiḥ ||
วสิษฐะกล่าวว่า “ทั้ง ‘อวิธิ’ และ ‘วิธิ’ ล้วนบังเกิดจากแหล่งกำเนิดเดียวกัน บัณฑิตผู้พิจารณาความหมายแห่งศรุติและศาสตรา จึงเรียกสองสิ่งนี้ว่า ‘วิทยา’ และ ‘อวิทยา’.”
वसिष्ठ उवाच
Educational Q&A
Vasiṣṭha teaches that both ‘vidhi’ (prescribed duty/karma) and ‘avidhi’ (non-prescribed or improperly grounded conduct/understanding) arise from a single ultimate source, and that reflective interpreters of śruti and śāstra classify the pair as vidyā (true knowledge) and avidyā (ignorance). The ethical point is to discern which orientation leads toward right understanding and dharma.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction setting, Vasiṣṭha is explaining a doctrinal distinction: how learned exegetes, by contemplating Vedic and śāstric meanings, name and differentiate two co-arising principles—vidhi/avidhi—framing them as knowledge versus ignorance to guide conduct and insight.