Shloka 20
इस प्रकार श्रीमह्याभारत शान्तिपर्वके अन्तर्गत राजधमनुशासनपर्वमें देवस्थानवाक्यविषयक बीसवाँ अध्याय पूरा हुआ,एवं रुद्रा: सवसवस्तथा55दित्या: परंतप । साध्या राजर्षिसंघाश्ष धर्ममेतं समाश्रिता: । अप्रमत्तास्तत: स्वर्ग प्राप्ता: पुण्यै: स्वकर्मभि: शत्रुओंको संताप देनेवाले युधिष्ठिर! इसी प्रकार रुद्र, वसु, आदित्य, साध्यगण तथा राजर्षिसमूहोंने सावधान होकर इस धर्मका आश्रय लिया है। फिर उन्होंने अपने पुण्यकर्माद्वारा स्वर्गलोक प्राप्त किया है
evaṁ rudrāḥ vasavaś ca tathādityāḥ parantapa | sādhyā rājarṣi-saṅghāś ca dharmam etaṁ samāśritāḥ | apramattās tataḥ svargaṁ prāptāḥ puṇyaiḥ svakarmabhiḥ ||
O Yudhiṣṭhira, scorcher of foes: in this very way the Rudras, the Vasus, the Ādityas, the Sādhyas, and hosts of royal seers, remaining vigilant, took refuge in this dharma. Thereafter, by the merit of their own righteous deeds, they attained the heavenly world. The passage underscores that careful, sustained adherence to dharma—rather than mere status or power—leads to auspicious destiny.
देवस्थान उवाच
Educational Q&A
That dharma must be consciously and carefully upheld (apramāda), and that the fruit of such steadfast ethical conduct is puṇya leading to auspicious realms like svarga—illustrated by divine and royal-sage exemplars.
Devasthāna addresses Yudhiṣṭhira, concluding a didactic point by citing groups of gods (Rudras, Vasus, Ādityas, Sādhyas) and royal sages who adopted the taught dharma with vigilance and, through their own meritorious actions, attained heaven.