Shloka 26
धर्मद्वारबहुत्वविमर्शः — Reflection on the Many ‘Doors’ of Dharma (Śānti-parva 342)
प्रमाणानि हि पूज्यानि ततस्तं पूजयाम्यहम् । यस्तं वेत्ति स मां वेत्ति योडनुतं स हि मामनु
pramāṇāni hi pūjyāni tatastam pūjayāmyaham | yastaṃ vetti sa māṃ vetti yo 'nutaṃ sa hi māmanu ||
شاستری معیار و دلائل قابلِ تعظیم ہیں؛ اسی لیے میں اسی کی پوجا کرتا ہوں۔ جو اسے جانتا ہے وہ مجھے جانتا ہے؛ اور جو اس کی پیروی کرتا ہے وہ حقیقت میں میری بھی پیروی کرتا ہے۔
अर्जुन उवाच
Educational Q&A
True authority (pramāṇa) deserves reverence, and honoring a genuine source of right knowledge is itself an ethical act. The verse also stresses identification through understanding and loyal following: knowing the rightly established person/standard is equivalent to knowing the speaker, and following that person is tantamount to following the speaker.
Arjuna speaks in a reflective, didactic context within Śānti Parva, affirming respect for recognized authorities and aligning himself with a figure whose knowledge and conduct are presented as authoritative. He declares a bond of recognition and discipleship: understanding and following that figure amounts to understanding and following Arjuna.