Shloka 17
Phala of Vrata, Niyama, Svādhyāya, Dama, Satya, Brahmacarya, and Service (व्रत-नियम-स्वाध्याय-दम-सत्य-ब्रह्मचर्य-शुश्रूषा-फलप्रश्नः)
ततस्त्वहं तं शनकैरवोचं वृतः सदस्यैरभिपूज्यमान: । प्राप्तो5स्मि ते विषयं धर्मराज लोकानहों यानहं तान् विधत्स्व
tatastvahaṃ taṃ śanakairavocaṃ vṛtaḥ sadasyairabhipūjyamānaḥ | prāpto'smi te viṣayaṃ dharmarāja lokān aho yān ahaṃ tān vidhatsva ||
Alors, entouré des anciens assemblés et honoré par eux, je m’adressai doucement à Vaivasvata Yama : « Ô Dharmarāja, je suis entré dans ton domaine. Veuille m’assigner aux mondes auxquels je suis digne d’accéder. »
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even a revered figure approaches the moral order with humility: entry into posthumous realms is not claimed by status but determined by dharma and fitness shaped by one’s deeds.
Bhīṣma, honored by an assembly, addresses Yama (Dharmarāja) within Yama’s jurisdiction and requests to be directed to the appropriate worlds—i.e., the destinations merited by his conduct.