Shloka 122
मानसतीर्थ-शौचप्रशंसा | Praise of the ‘Mental Tīrtha’ and the Marks of Purity
सदा द्वादशमासान् वै सत्यव्रतपरायण: । तस्य लोका: शुभा दिव्या देवराजर्षिपूजिता:
sadā dvādaśa-māsān vai satya-vrata-parāyaṇaḥ | tasya lokāḥ śubhā divyā deva-rāja-ṛṣi-pūjitāḥ ||
Bhīṣma dit : Celui qui, tout au long des douze mois, demeure fermement voué au vœu de vérité atteint des mondes auspicious et divins — des séjours honorés et révérés par les dieux, les rāja-ṛṣi et les deva-ṛṣi. L’accent éthique est que la véracité soutenue, gardée comme un vœu discipliné dans la durée, devient une cause directe d’élévation spirituelle et d’honneur parmi les plus hauts ordres d’êtres.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that unwavering commitment to satya (truthfulness) as a sustained vrata (vow) over a full year yields exalted spiritual results—attainment of auspicious, divine realms honored by gods and sages. The stress is on consistency and lifelong integrity rather than occasional truth-speaking.
In the Anushasana Parva’s instruction on dharma, Bhishma is describing the fruits (phala) of ethical observances. Here he highlights the reward for one who remains devoted to a truth-vow across twelve months: such a person gains revered celestial worlds.