Shloka 1
पम्प छा अकाल षण्णवर्त्याधेकशततमोब् ध्याय: जपयज्ञके विषयमें युधिषिरका प्रश्न, उसके उत्तरमें जप और ध्यानकी महिमा और उसका फल युधिछिर उवाच चातुराश्रम्यमुक्त ते राजधर्मास्तथैव च । नानाश्रयाश्न॒ बहव इतिहासा: पृथग्विधा:,युधिष्ठिरने पूछा--पितामह! आपने चार आश्रमों तथा राजधर्मोंका वर्णन किया एवं अनेकानेक विषयोंसे सम्बन्ध रखनेवाले बहुत-से भिन्न-भिन्न इतिहास भी सुनाये अफ--कात सप्तनवर्त्याधिकशततमो< ध्याय: जापकमें दोष आनेके कारण उसे नरककी प्राप्ति युधिछिर उवाच गतीनामुत्तमा प्राप्ति: कथितां जापकेष्विह । एकैवैषा गतिस्तेषामुत यान्त्यपरामपि युधिष्ठिरने पूछा--पितामह! आपने यहाँ जापकोंके लिये गतियोंमें उत्तम गतिकी प्राप्ति बतायी है। क्या उनके लिये एकमात्र यही गति है? या वे किसी दूसरी गतिको भी प्राप्त होते हैं?
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca |
catūrāśramyam uktaṃ te rājadharmās tathaiva ca |
nānāśrayāś ca bahava itihāsāḥ pṛthagvidhāḥ ||
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca |
gatīnām uttamā prāptiḥ kathitāṃ jāpakeṣv iha |
ekaivaiṣā gatis teṣām uta yānty aparām api ||
Yudhiṣṭhira said: “Grandfather, you have explained the system of the four stages of life, and likewise the duties of kings; and you have also narrated many diverse histories connected with many different themes. Again, you have declared here that practitioners devoted to japa attain the highest of destinies. Is that the only destiny for them, or do they sometimes reach another fate as well?”
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames a doctrinal inquiry: even if japa is praised as leading to the highest post-mortem destiny, is that result guaranteed for all japa-practitioners, or can faults and variations in practice lead to different outcomes? It sets up a nuanced discussion of spiritual discipline, merit, and ethical causality.
In the Śānti Parva dialogue, Yudhiṣṭhira continues questioning Bhīṣma after hearing teachings on the four āśramas and royal duty. He now turns to the topic of japa, asking whether japa-practitioners invariably attain the supreme goal or whether they may also reach other destinies.