Shloka 23
Adhyāya 302: Guṇa-vicāra, Gati-bheda, and the Imperishable State
Yājñavalkya–Janaka
अविधिश्व विधिश्वैव समुत्पन्नौ तथैकतः । विद्याविद्येति विख्याते श्रूतिशास्त्रार्थचिन्तकै:
avidhiś ca vidhiś caiva samutpannau tathaikataḥ | vidyāvidyeti vikhyāte śrutiśāstrārthacintakaiḥ ||
婆悉吒说道：“非所规定之行（或仅有知而不正用）与所规定之行，同样都从同一源头而起。那些思惟吠陀（Śruti）与诸论典（śāstra）义理的贤者，将此二者称为‘明/智’（vidyā）与‘无明’（avidyā）。”
वसिष्ठ उवाच
Educational Q&A
Vasiṣṭha teaches that both ‘vidhi’ (prescribed duty/karma) and ‘avidhi’ (non-prescribed or improperly grounded conduct/understanding) arise from a single ultimate source, and that reflective interpreters of śruti and śāstra classify the pair as vidyā (true knowledge) and avidyā (ignorance). The ethical point is to discern which orientation leads toward right understanding and dharma.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction setting, Vasiṣṭha is explaining a doctrinal distinction: how learned exegetes, by contemplating Vedic and śāstric meanings, name and differentiate two co-arising principles—vidhi/avidhi—framing them as knowledge versus ignorance to guide conduct and insight.