Shloka 59
Svargārohaṇa-parva Adhyāya 5 — Karmaphala-Nirdeśa and Phalāśruti (कर्मफलनिर्देशः फलश्रुतिश्च)
भारताध्ययनात् पुण्यादपि पादमधीयत: । श्रद्धया परया भक्त्या श्राव्यते चापि येन तु
bhāratādhyayanāt puṇyād api pādam adhīyataḥ | śraddhayā parayā bhaktyā śrāvyate cāpi yena tu ||
Vaiśampāyana sprach: Selbst wenn einer nur ein Viertel eines Verses erlernt, übertrifft das erworbene Verdienst das des Studiums der ganzen Bhārata. Wer sie mit höchstem Glauben und Hingabe hört—oder sie für andere rezitieren lässt—erlangt die volle Frucht des Studiums der Mahābhārata und erreicht durch eben diese Kraft die höchste geistige Vollendung.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that sincere śraddhā (faith) and bhakti (devotion) in hearing or reciting even a small portion of the Mahābhārata yields the full spiritual merit of studying the whole epic, emphasizing inner disposition over sheer quantity of learning.
In the closing context of the Svargārohaṇa Parva, Vaiśampāyana highlights the phala-śruti (statement of benefits) of the Mahābhārata, praising the power of listening and recitation as a means to attain auspicious spiritual accomplishment.