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Shloka 383

उपवासफलात्मकविधिः — Upavāsa as Yajña-Equivalent Merit

Angiras Teaching

तत्क्षयादिह चागम्य माहात्म्यं प्रतिपद्यते । इतना ही नहीं

tatkṣayād iha cāgamya māhātmyaṃ pratipadyate |

Lorsque le mérite acquis là-bas s’épuise, il revient en ce monde et obtient éminence et rang honoré. Le contexte narratif décrit le fruit d’un acte juste : il devient rayonnant comme l’or affiné, monte dans un char aérien resplendissant, demeure avec honneur en Brahmaloka durant mille années entières, puis—le mérite consommé—revient à la condition humaine pour y recevoir une place distinguée. Sur le plan éthique, le vers souligne que les actes vertueux procurent des récompenses célestes sublimes mais limitées, et que le mérite finit par mûrir en prestige et en influence dans le monde.

तत्from that
तत्:
Apadana
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormNeuter, Ablative, Singular
क्षयात्from (the) exhaustion/waning
क्षयात्:
Apadana
TypeNoun
Rootक्षय
FormMasculine, Ablative, Singular
इहhere (in this world)
इह:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइह
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
आगम्यhaving come/arrived
आगम्य:
TypeVerb
Rootआ-गम्
Formल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral for gerund)
माहात्म्यम्greatness, eminence
माहात्म्यम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootमाहात्म्य
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
प्रतिपद्यतेattains/obtains
प्रतिपद्यते:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootप्रति-पद्
FormPresent, Indicative, Atmanepada, Third, Singular

अंगियरा उवाच

A
Aṅgiras (speaker)
B
Brahmaloka
V
vimāna (aerial car)

Educational Q&A

Meritorious action produces exalted results—radiance, heavenly ascent, and honored residence in Brahmaloka—but those results are finite; when merit is exhausted, one returns and gains worldly eminence. The verse highlights both the power and the impermanence of karmic rewards.

Aṅgiras describes the posthumous फल (result) of a virtuous deed: the doer becomes brilliant, rides a vimāna, lives honored in Brahmaloka for a thousand years, and then, after the merit is spent, returns to this world and attains a significant, respected position.