Shloka 4
Varṇa-lakṣaṇa and Ātma-saṃyama (Marks of Social Conduct and Self-Restraint) | वर्णलक्षणम् एवं आत्मसंयमः
उत्सवादुत्सवं यान्ति स्वर्गात् स्वर्ग सुखात् सुखम् । श्रद्धधानाश्ष दान्ताश्न धनाढ्या: शुभकारिण:,जो श्रद्धालु, जितेन्द्रिय, धनसम्पन्न तथा शुभकर्म-परायण होते हैं, वे उत्तवसे अधिक उत्सवको, स्वर्गसे अधिक स्वर्गको तथा सुखसे अधिक सुखको प्राप्त करते हैं
utsavād utsavaṁ yānti svargāt svargaṁ sukhāt sukham | śraddadhānāś ca dāntāś ca dhanāḍhyāḥ śubhakāriṇaḥ ||
Bhīṣma said: “From one festival they pass on to a greater festival; from heaven to a higher heaven; from happiness to still greater happiness. Those who are full of faith, self-restrained, prosperous, and devoted to auspicious deeds continually attain ever-increasing joy and higher states of well-being.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Faith (śraddhā), self-restraint (dama), prosperity used rightly, and commitment to auspicious deeds lead to progressively higher and more refined happiness—symbolized as moving from festival to greater festival, from heaven to higher heaven.
In the Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma instructs Yudhiṣṭhira on dharma and the fruits of virtuous living. Here he summarizes how the faithful and disciplined, engaged in good works, attain ever-increasing joy and elevated states.