Shloka 18
मृत्योर्ब्रह्मणा नियोजनम् — The Commissioning of Mṛtyu by Brahmā
येन तृप्यत्यभुञ्जानो येन तृप्यत्यवित्तवान् | येनास्नेहो बल॑ धत्ते यस्तं वेद स वेदवित्
yena tṛpyaty abhuñjāno yena tṛpyaty avittavān | yenāsneho balaṃ dhatte yas taṃ veda sa vedavit ||
That by which a person feels satisfied even without eating; that by which even one without wealth remains fully content; and that by whose support one gains strength even without consuming rich, unctuous foods—whoever knows that Brahman truly is the knower of the Vedas’ inner meaning.
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
True satisfaction, contentment, and inner strength do not ultimately depend on external supports like food, wealth, or rich nourishment; they arise from realizing Brahman. One who knows that reality is the real 'knower of the Vedas'—not merely by recitation, but by grasping their essence.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on peace and liberation, Vyāsa states a criterion for genuine Vedic knowledge: the sage who has realized Brahman attains a self-sustaining fullness—content without consumption, satisfied without possessions, and strong without indulgence—showing inner realization rather than external dependence.