Shloka 7
अध्याय २६ — युद्ध-निन्दा, काम-दोष, तथा धार्तराष्ट्र-नीति-विश्लेषण
War-aversion, Desire as a Policy Fault, and Analysis of Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Governance
वेदो5धीतक्नरितं ब्रह्मचर्य यज्ञैरिषं ब्राह्मणेभ्यश्व दत्तम् । परं स्थानं मन्यमानेन भूय आत्मा दत्तो वर्षपूगं सुखेभ्य:,आपने परलोकपर विश्वास करके वेदोंका अध्ययन, ब्रह्मचर्यका पालन एवं यज्ञोंका अनुष्ठान किया है तथा ब्राह्मणोंको दान दिया है और अनन्त वर्षोतक वहाँके सुख भोगनेके लिये अपने-आपको भी समर्पित कर दिया है
sañjaya uvāca | vedo’dhītaṁ kṛtaṁ brahmacaryaṁ yajñair iṣṭaṁ brāhmaṇebhyaś ca dattam | paraṁ sthānaṁ manyamānena bhūya ātmā datto varṣapūgaṁ sukhebhyaḥ ||
Sañjaya said: “Trusting in the reality of the next world, he studied the Veda, observed brahmacarya, performed sacrifices, and gave gifts to the Brahmins. Believing that this would lead to the highest state, he even surrendered himself—so as to enjoy the pleasures there for countless years.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse links ethical-religious discipline—Vedic study, brahmacarya, sacrifice, and generosity—to the pursuit of a higher post-mortem goal. It also warns implicitly that even great merit can be motivated by desire for prolonged heavenly enjoyment, not only by pure renunciation.
Sañjaya describes a person’s accumulated religious merits and intentions: he undertakes orthodox duties and gifts, convinced of the next world and aiming at the ‘highest state,’ even offering himself in pursuit of long-lasting otherworldly pleasures.