Shloka 1
परिव्राजक-आचारः (Conduct of the Wandering Renunciant) — Mahābhārata, Śānti-parva 269
अकाल सप्तर्त्याधिकद्विशततमो< ध्याय: स्यूमरश्मि-कपिल-संवाद--चारों आश्रमोंमें उत्तम साधनोंके द्वारा ब्रह्मकी प्राप्तिका कथन कपिल उवाच वेदा: प्रमाणं लोकानां न वेदा: पृष्ठतः कृता: । दे ब्रह्मणी वेदितव्ये शब्दब्रह्म परं च यत्
kapila uvāca | vedāḥ pramāṇaṁ lokānāṁ na vedāḥ pṛṣṭhataḥ kṛtāḥ | dve brahmaṇī veditavye śabda-brahma paraṁ ca yat |
迦毗罗说道：“对一切世人而言，吠陀即是权威的准则（量，pramāṇa）；它们并非事后才编作的附属之物，也不是次要的支撑。然而应当明白：‘梵’当以两种方式被认识——其一为声梵（Śabda-brahman），即以圣言与吠陀启示为形相之梵；其二为超越言诠的至上梵（Para-brahman），为最高实在。故而，对经典的敬奉得以成立，而教法又指向超越经典的直接证悟。”
कपिल उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse affirms the Vedas as a valid pramāṇa (authoritative guide) for human life, while distinguishing two levels of Brahman: Śabda-brahman (Brahman as sacred word/scripture) and Para-brahman (the supreme reality beyond words), implying that scripture guides one toward direct realization.
In the Kapila–Syūmarasmi dialogue of Śānti Parva, Kapila instructs his interlocutor by defending the authority of the Vedas and then reframing the goal: scriptural knowledge (word) is important, but it culminates in knowledge of the transcendent Supreme Brahman.