Shloka 39
यज्ञार्थमन्यद् भवति यज्ञो<न्यार्थस्तथा पर: | यज्ञस्यार्थार्थमेवान्यत् तत् सर्व यज्ञसाधनम्,जैसे अन्यान्य सामग्रियाँ यज्ञकी सिद्धिके लिये होती हैं, उत्तम यज्ञ किसी और ही प्रयोजनके लिये होता है, यज्ञ-सम्बन्धी अन्यान्य बातें भी किसी-न-किसी विशेष उद्देश्यकी सिद्धिके लिये ही होती हैं, तथा यह सब कुछ यज्ञका साधन ही है
yajñārtham anyad bhavati yajño 'nyārthas tathā paraḥ | yajñasyārthārtham evānyat tat sarvaṁ yajñasādhanam ||
Some things exist for the sake of the yajña, and the yajña itself may be undertaken for an end beyond itself. Likewise, whatever is connected with sacrifice is directed toward achieving some specific purpose; in truth, all of it serves as the means by which the yajña is accomplished.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma teaches that ritual elements are instruments serving a purpose, and even yajña itself can be a means toward a higher goal; one should understand the intended end and align actions accordingly.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on dharma, Bhishma is explaining to Yudhishthira how to interpret sacrificial practice: as a structured system of means (sādhanas) oriented toward definite aims, not as purposeless formalism.