Shloka 66
अध्याय ३५१ — उञ्छवृत्ति-व्रतसिद्धेः मानुषस्य परमगतिः
Sūrya–Nāga Dialogue on the Perfected Gleaner-Ascetic
अपान्तरतमाश्रैव वेदाचार्य: स उच्यते । प्राचीनगर्भ तमृषिं प्रवदनन््तीह केचन
apāntaratam āśraiva vedācāryaḥ sa ucyate | prācīna-garbhaṃ tam ṛṣiṃ pravadantīha kecana ||
Sinabi ni Vaiśampāyana: “Sa pag-asa kay Apāntarata, siya’y kinikilalang guro ng Veda. May ilan din dito na tumatawag sa rishing iyon na ‘Prācīna-garbha’, upang patunayan ang kanyang sinaunang pinagmulan at ang kanyang kagalang-galang na awtoridad sa banal na tradisyon.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the authority of Vedic knowledge as grounded in recognized lineages: one becomes known as a Vedic teacher by relying upon an established sage-tradition (here, Apāntarata), and epithets like ‘Prācīna-garbha’ emphasize the antiquity that legitimizes such transmission.
Vaiśampāyana reports a traditional identification: the figure connected with Apāntarata is regarded as a Vedic preceptor, and some authorities further refer to that sage by the epithet ‘Prācīna-garbha,’ highlighting his ancient, venerable status.