Shloka 42
Āścarya-kathana: Brāhmaṇa–Nāga Dialogue on Sūrya (Vivasvat) and the ‘Second Sun’ Phenomenon
वीरणकश्चाप्यधीत्यैनं रैभ्याय मुनये ददौ । रैभ्य: पुत्राय शुद्धाय सुव्रताय सुमेधसे
vaiśampāyana uvāca |
vīraṇakaś cāpy adhītyainaṃ raibhyāya munaye dadau |
raibhyaḥ putrāya śuddhāya suvratāya sumedhase ||
毗湿摩波耶那说：毗罗那迦（Vīraṇaka）亦复如是，既研习此教，便传与牟尼赖毗耶（Raibhya）。赖毗耶又授之于其子——行止清净、誓愿坚固、慧解殊胜者。如此，这被称为出自那罗延（Nārāyaṇa）亲口的萨特瓦塔之法，曾由贤善之人相承而下；然而岁月流转，它又再度湮没不彰。
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse emphasizes that sacred dharma—here identified as Sātvata dharma associated with Nārāyaṇa—must be preserved through disciplined study and responsible transmission to qualified, ethically pure recipients (śuddha, suvrata, sumedhas).
Vaiśampāyana recounts a chain of transmission: Vīraṇaka learns the doctrine and teaches it to the sage Raibhya; Raibhya then teaches it to his worthy son. The broader context notes that despite such transmission, the teaching later becomes obscured or lost.