Shloka 42
Phala of Vrata, Niyama, Svādhyāya, Dama, Satya, Brahmacarya, and Service (व्रत-नियम-स्वाध्याय-दम-सत्य-ब्रह्मचर्य-शुश्रूषा-फलप्रश्नः)
एवमेतानि मे तत्र धर्मराजो न्यदर्शयत् | दृष्टवा च परमं हर्षमवापमहमच्युत,धर्मसे कभी च्युत न होनेवाले पूज्य पिताजी! इस प्रकार धर्मराजने मुझे वहाँ ये सब स्थान दिखाये। वह सब देखकर मुझे बड़ा हर्ष प्राप्त हुआ
evam etāni me tatra dharmarājo nyadarśayat | dṛṣṭvā ca paramaṃ harṣam avāpam aham acyuta |
Naciketas said: “Thus, in that realm, King Dharma showed me all these abodes. Having seen them, I was filled with the highest joy—O revered one, who never swerves from dharma.”
नाचिकेत उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights dharmic instruction through direct vision: the lord of righteousness reveals the ordered consequences and stations of existence, and the seeker’s proper response is reverent joy and moral clarity rather than fear or confusion.
Naciketas reports that Dharmaraja (Yama) personally shows him various places/abodes in that realm; after witnessing them, Naciketas experiences profound joy and addresses the revered, unwavering figure with respect.