Shloka 51
तपोधर्मदमेज्याभिरविप्रा यान्ति यथा दिवम् | दानातिथ्यक्रियाधर्मर्यान्ति वैश्याश्व सद्गतिम्
tapo-dharma-dama-ejyābhir aviprā yānti yathā divam | dāna-atithya-kriyā-dharmair yānti vaiśyāś ca sadgatim ||
By austerity, righteous conduct, self-restraint, and sacrificial worship, those who are not brāhmaṇas also attain heaven. And by charity, hospitality to guests, and dutiful performance of prescribed acts, vaiśyas too reach a good and blessed state.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that spiritual and ethical attainment is accessible through appropriate virtues and duties: austerity, righteousness, self-control, and worship lead to heaven even for non-brāhmaṇas, while charity, hospitality, and faithful performance of prescribed duties lead vaiśyas to an auspicious destiny.
In Vaiśampāyana’s narration, a general dharma-instruction is being stated: different social groups are described as reaching higher states through the virtues and duties especially associated with them, emphasizing conduct over mere status.