Shloka 81
Adhyāya 208: Aṅgirasī-kanyāḥ
Enumeration of Aṅgiras’ daughters and attribute-names
त॑ सदाचारमाश्चर्य पुराणं शाश्वतं ध्रुवम् । धर्म धर्मेण पश्यन्त: स्वर्ग यान्ति मनीषिण:,जिसका श्रेष्ठ पुरुषोंने पालन किया है, जो अनादि, सनातन और नित्य है, उस धर्मको धर्मदृष्टिसे ही देखनेवाले मनीषी पुरुष स्वर्गलोकमें जाते हैं
taṁ sadācāram āścaryaṁ purāṇaṁ śāśvataṁ dhruvam | dharmaṁ dharmeṇa paśyantaḥ svargaṁ yānti manīṣiṇaḥ ||
That wondrous code of right conduct—ancient, everlasting, and unshakable—when the wise behold dharma through the lens of dharma itself, they attain heaven.
व्याध उवाच
Educational Q&A
Dharma is to be evaluated and practiced on its own ethical terms—through righteous discernment and established good conduct (sadācāra). Those who judge and live by dharma without distortion attain the highest merit, symbolized here as svarga.
In the Vana Parva’s dialogue where the hunter (Vyādha) instructs a seeker, he emphasizes the authority of ancient, enduring righteous conduct and explains that wise people who perceive and follow dharma correctly reach heavenly realms.