Shloka 78
देवतापितृप्रश्नः — Nārada at Badarīāśrama: the ultimate referent of daiva and pitṛ worship
न देहभेदे मरणं विजानतां न च प्रणाश: स्वनुपालिते पथि । धर्म हि यो वर्धयते स पण्डितो य एव धर्माच्च्यवते स मुह्ृति
na dehabhede maraṇaṁ vijānatāṁ na ca praṇāśaḥ svanupālite pathi | dharma hi yo vardhayate sa paṇḍito ya eva dharmāccyavate sa muhṛti
قال فياسا: «لِمَن عرفوا حقًّا، ليستِ الموتُ في مجرد تفرّق الجسد؛ ولا فناءَ حقيقيًّا لمن سلك بأمانةٍ الطريقَ المصون. الحكيمُ هو من يُنمّي الدارما؛ أمّا من ينحرف عن الدارما فيقع في الوهم والضلال، ولو لبرهة.»
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
True wisdom sees that the body’s dissolution is not the self’s annihilation; therefore one should focus on sustaining and increasing dharma. The mark of a paṇḍita is to strengthen dharma, while deviation from dharma—even briefly—brings moral confusion and downfall.
In Śānti Parva’s instruction-oriented setting, Vyāsa delivers a reflective teaching to guide conduct after the devastation of war: he reframes death as bodily change and emphasizes steadfast adherence to the righteous path, defining wisdom by commitment to dharma.