Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 34
Vānaprastha-dharma and Tapas: Śiva–Umā Saṃvāda
Forest-Stage Discipline and Austerity
रहस्यमद्भुतं चापि पृष्टा: सम गगनेचर । एतदेव प्रशंसन्ति देवाश्न मुन॒यस्तथा
rahasyam adbhutaṃ cāpi pṛṣṭāḥ sma gagane-cara | etad eva praśaṃsanti devāś ca munayas tathā ||
天界使者说道：“噫，翱翔天际者啊，我们确已被问及一桩奇妙而隐秘之事。此教诲本身，也为诸天与圣仙所称赞。”就其语境而言，此偈将所问立为深奥的法（dharma）之秘——为更高权威所印可——从而劝人敬奉既定的祖先仪礼，并履行尊崇先人的伦理之责。
देवदूत उवाच
Educational Q&A
That the matter being discussed is a profound dharmic ‘secret’ (rahasya) and is validated by the highest authorities—gods and sages—thereby reinforcing the importance of the prescribed duties, especially those connected with honoring ancestors (pitṛ-karman) in the surrounding context.
A celestial messenger responds to a question posed to them, emphasizing that the inquiry concerns an extraordinary, esoteric point of dharma. The speaker strengthens the answer’s credibility by stating that gods and sages praise this very teaching.