Shloka 57
उपवासफलात्मकविधिः — Upavāsa as Yajña-Equivalent Merit
Angiras Teaching
स गत्वा स्त्रीशताकीर्णे रमते भरतर्षभ
sa gatvā strī-śatākīrṇe ramate bharatarṣabha | bharataśreṣṭha! sa svargaṁ gatvā śataśo ramaṇībhiḥ paripūrṇe prāsāde ramate | asmin loke durbalaṁ manuṣyaṁ hṛṣṭa-puṣṭaṁ bhūtaṁ dṛṣṭam | yasya vraṇo jātaḥ tasya vraṇo 'pi rūḍhaḥ bhavati | rogī roga-nivṛtty-arthaṁ auṣadha-samūhaṁ prāpnoti | krodha-pūrṇaṁ puruṣaṁ prasādayituṁ upāyo 'pi labhyate | artha-māna-kṛte duḥkhita-puruṣasya duḥkha-nivṛttiś ca dṛśyate | kintu svarga-kāṅkṣiṇaṁ divya-sukha-kāṅkṣiṇaṁ puruṣaṁ etāni iha-loka-sukhāni na rocante |
Aṅgirā said: “O bull among the Bharatas, O best of the Bharatas—having gone to heaven, he delights in a palace filled with hundreds of women. In this world, one sees even a weak man become cheerful and strong; even a wound that has been inflicted is seen to heal; a sick man obtains collections of medicines for the removal of his disease; means are found to pacify a man swollen with anger; and relief is also seen for the man who suffers for the sake of wealth and honor. But to one who longs for heaven and desires divine happiness, such talk of worldly pleasures does not appear attractive.”
अंगियरा उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse contrasts ordinary worldly consolations (healing, medicine, appeasing anger, relief from distress over wealth and honor) with the mindset of one intent on heaven: for a person whose aim is divine happiness, merely worldly pleasures and remedies feel insufficient and unappealing.
Aṅgirā addresses a Bharata prince/king and describes the reward of reaching heaven—enjoyment in a palace filled with many women—then argues that although this world offers many forms of relief and pleasure, a person yearning for svarga and divine bliss does not value such worldly talk.