# SB 1.4.28-29 > धृतव्रतेन हि मया छन्दांसि गुरवोऽग्नयः । > मानिता निर्व्यलीकेन गृहीतं चानुशासनम् ॥२८॥ > भारतव्यपदेशेन ह्याम्नायार्थश्च प्रदर्शितः । > दृश्यते यत्र धर्मादि स्त्रीशूद्रादिभिरप्युत ॥२९॥ ## Text > dhṛta-vratena hi mayā > chandāṁsi guravo 'gnayaḥ > mānitā nirvyalīkena > gṛhītaṁ cānuśāsanam > > bhārata-vyapadeśena > hy āmnāyārthaś ca pradarśitaḥ > dṛśyate yatra dharmādi > strī-śūdrādibhir apy uta ## Synonyms *dhṛta*-*vratena*—under a strict disciplinary vow; *hi*—certainly; *mayā*—by me; *chandāṁsi*—the Vedic hymns; *guravaḥ*—the spiritual masters; *agnayaḥ*—the sacrificial fire; *mānitāḥ*—properly worshiped; *nirvyalīkena*—without pretense; *gṛhītam* *ca*—also accepted; *anuśāsanam*—traditional discipline; *bhārata*—the *Mahābhārata*; *vyapadeśena*—by compilation of; *hi*—certainly; *āmnāya*-*arthaḥ*—import of disciplic succession; *ca*—and; *pradarśitaḥ*—properly explained; *dṛśyate*—by what is necessary; *yatra*—where; *dharma*-*ādiḥ*—the path of religion; *strī*-*śūdra*-*ādibhiḥ* *api*—even by women, *śūdras,* etc.; *uta*—spoken. ## Translation **I have, under strict disciplinary vows, unpretentiously worshiped the Vedas, the spiritual master and the altar of sacrifice. I have also abided by the rulings and have shown the import of disciplic succession through the explanation of the Mahābhārata, by which even women, śūdras and others [friends of the twice-born] can see the path of religion.** ## Purport No one can understand the import of the *Vedas* without having undergone a strict disciplinary vow and disciplic succession. The *Vedas,* spiritual masters and sacrificial fire must be worshiped by the desiring candidate. All these intricacies of Vedic knowledge are systematically presented in the *Mahābhārata* for the understanding of the woman class, the laborer class and the unqualified members of *brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya* or *vaiśya* families. In this age, the *Mahābhārata* is more essential than the original *Vedas.*