Shloka 40
Agni’s Withdrawal to the Forest and Identification with Āṅgirasa (अग्न्याङ्गिरस-इतिहासः)
सत्यार्जवे धर्ममाहु: परं धर्मविदो जना:,धर्मज्ञ पुरुष सत्य और सरलताको सर्वोत्तम धर्म बताते हैं। सनातनधर्मके स्वरूपको जानना तो अत्यन्त कठिन है, परंतु वह सत्यमें प्रतिष्ठित है। जो वेदोंके द्वारा प्रमाणित हो, वही धर्म है--यह वृद्ध पुरुषोंका उपदेश है
satyārjave dharmam āhuḥ paraṃ dharmavido janāḥ | dharmajña puruṣāḥ satyaṃ ca ārjavaṃ ca śreṣṭhatamaṃ dharmam vadanti | sanātanadharmasya svarūpaṃ jñātuṃ tu atyantaṃ kaṭhinam, kintu sa satye pratiṣṭhitaḥ | yad vedaiḥ pramāṇitaṃ tad eva dharmaḥ—iti vṛddhapuruṣāṇām upadeśaḥ |
Sinabi ng Brahmana: “Ang mga tunay na nakaaalam ng dharma ay nagsasabing ang katotohanan at tuwirang pagkamatuwid ang pinakamataas na dharma. Ang tunay na anyo ng Sanātana-dharma (walang-hanggang dharma) ay napakahirap maunawaan, subalit ito’y matatag na nakaugat sa katotohanan. Ang tanging pinatutunayan ng mga Veda ang siyang dharma—iyan ang aral ng mga nakatatanda.”
ब्राह्मण उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that truthfulness (satya) and straightforwardness (ārjava) are regarded by dharma-knowers as the highest form of dharma, and that genuine dharma is what is validated by Vedic authority, with truth as its foundation.
A brāhmaṇa is instructing the listener(s) on the nature of dharma, emphasizing practical virtues—truth and sincerity—while also grounding the definition of dharma in what the Vedas प्रमाणित (authorize).