Shloka 12
मृत्योर्ब्रह्मणा नियोजनम् — The Commissioning of Mṛtyu by Brahmā
तपसोपनिषत त्यागस्त्यागस्योपनिषत् सुखम् । सुखस्योपनिषत् स्वर्ग: स्वर्गस्योपनिषच्छम:,तपस्याका सार है त्याग, त्यागका सार है सुख, सुखका सार है स्वर्ग और स्वर्गका सार है शान्ति
tapasopaniṣat tyāgas tyāgasyopaniṣat sukham | sukhasyopaniṣat svargaḥ svargasyopaniṣac chamaḥ ||
Vyāsa said: “The inner essence of austerity (tapas) is renunciation (tyāga); the essence of renunciation is happiness; the essence of happiness is heaven (svarga); and the essence of heaven is peace and stillness (śama). Thus the teaching traces a moral ascent from disciplined practice to the highest good—tranquil freedom from disturbance.”
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse presents a graded chain of values: true austerity matures into renunciation; renunciation yields genuine happiness; happiness corresponds to a higher, meritorious state (svarga); and the highest essence even of heaven is inner peace (śama). It shifts attention from external rewards to the culminating goal of tranquility.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma and the life of restraint, Vyāsa delivers a compact aphorism-like teaching that summarizes the hierarchy of spiritual aims, emphasizing peace as the final refinement of all sought-after goods.