Shloka 39
निवृत्तिलक्षणो धर्मस्तथा5< भ्युदयिको5पि च । नराणामयनं ख्यातमहमेक: सनातन:,भारत! मैं अध्यात्मयोगोंको जानता हूँ तथा मैं कौन हूँ और कहाँसे आया हूँ--इस बातका भी मुझे ज्ञान है। लौकिक अभ्युदयका साधक प्रवृत्तिधर्म ओर नि:श्रेयस प्रदान करनेवाला निवृत्तिधर्म भी मुझसे अज्ञात नहीं है। एकमात्र मैं सनातन पुरुष ही सम्पूर्ण मनुष्योंका सुविख्यात आश्रयभूत नारायण हूँ
nivṛttilakṣaṇo dharmas tathābhyudayiko 'pi ca | narāṇām ayanaṃ khyātam aham ekaḥ sanātanaḥ ||
Ako lamang ang Walang-hanggan, ang bantog na kanlungan at huling hantungan ng lahat ng tao. Hindi ako mangmang sa dharmang may tanda ng pagtalikod (nivṛtti) na humahantong sa pinakamataas na kabutihan; ni hindi rin ako mangmang sa dharmang may tanda ng pakikibahagi sa daigdig (pravṛtti) na nagdudulot ng kasaganaan at pag-angat.
अर्जुन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse contrasts two complementary orientations of dharma: nivṛtti (renunciatory discipline aimed at liberation) and abhyudaya (engaged duty aimed at worldly flourishing). It presents the ultimate ground of both as the eternal, singular refuge of beings—identified in the received tradition with Nārāyaṇa.
In the Shānti Parva’s didactic setting, a speaker identified here as Arjuna voices a theological claim of comprehensive knowledge of both paths of dharma and declares the ultimate refuge of humans to be the eternal One (understood by the accompanying tradition as Nārāyaṇa).