Shloka 20
सूक्ष्मभूत-भूतात्मविज्ञानम्
Knowing the subtle principle and the bhūtātman through yoga
अहिंसक: सम: सत्यो धृतिमान् नियतेन्द्रिय: । शरण्य: सर्वभूतानां गतिमाप्रोत्यनुत्तमाम्,जो हिंसा न करनेवाला, समदर्शी, सत्यवादी, धैर्यवान्, जितेन्द्रिय और सम्पूर्ण प्राणियोंको शरण देनेवाला है, वह अत्यन्त उत्तम गति पाता है
ahiṁsakaḥ samaḥ satyo dhṛtimān niyatendriyaḥ | śaraṇyaḥ sarvabhūtānāṁ gatim āpnoty anuttamām ||
Vyāsa said: One who is non-violent, even-minded, truthful, steadfast, self-restrained, and a refuge to all living beings attains the highest, unsurpassed state.
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that the highest spiritual attainment comes from a cluster of dharmic virtues: non-violence, equanimity, truthfulness, steadfast courage, sense-control, and being a protective refuge for all beings.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma, Vyāsa states a normative ideal of conduct—describing the qualities of a righteous person and the फल (result): attaining the unsurpassed ‘gati’ (highest state).