Shloka 5
प्रजापतयः देवगणाश्च दिशि-दिशि स्थिताः ऋषयः
Prajāpatis, Deva-Groups, and the Ṛṣis Assigned to the Directions
यच्चार्थशास्त्रागममन्त्रविद्धि- यज्ञैरनेकैरथ गोप्रदानै: । फलं महद्विर्यदुपास्थते च कि तत्कथं वा भविता क्व वा तत्,अर्थशास्त्र, आगम (वेद) और मन्त्रको जाननेवाले विद्वान् पुरुष अनेकानेक महान यज्ञों और गोदानोंद्वारा जिस सुखमय फलकी उपासना करते हैं, वह क्या है, किस प्रकार प्राप्त होता है और कहाँ उसकी स्थिति है?
bhīṣma uvāca | yac cārthaśāstrāgama-mantra-viddhi-yajñair anekair atha go-pradānaiḥ | phalaṁ mahad yady upāsthate ca ki tat kathaṁ vā bhavitā kva vā tat ||
Dijo Bhīṣma: Ese fruto grande y bienaventurado que los sabios—versados en el Arthaśāstra (ciencia del gobierno), en la tradición védica (Āgama) y en los mantras sagrados—anhelan alcanzar mediante muchos grandes sacrificios y mediante dones de vacas: ¿qué es en verdad ese fruto? ¿Por qué medios se obtiene, y dónde mora?
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames a dharmic inquiry: even the most learned and ritually accomplished people pursue a ‘great fruit’ through sacrifice and charity, so one should ask what that ultimate reward truly is, how it is attained, and where it is said to reside—prompting reflection on the hierarchy of goals (merit, heaven, and possibly liberation).
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction-setting, Bhishma raises a pointed question about the ultimate outcome sought by experts in Veda, mantra, and polity who perform many yajñas and give cows in charity, preparing the ground for a doctrinal explanation of the highest result of dharmic action.