Shloka 18
महाभूत–इन्द्रिय–मनस्–बुद्धि–अन्तरात्मा विवेकः | Discrimination of Elements, Senses, Mind, Intellect, and Inner Self
बलवान् कर्णनिर्वाक: शून्यपाल: कृतश्रम: । एनं धर्म कृतवन्तस्तत:ः स्वर्गमुपागमन्
balavān karṇanirvākaḥ śūnyapālaḥ kṛtaśramaḥ | enaṃ dharmaṃ kṛtavantas tataḥ svargam upāgaman, tāta |
Vyāsa dit : «Mon enfant, le puissant Karṇa-nirvāka, Śūnya-pāla et Kṛta-śrama—ayant embrassé et pratiqué cette discipline du dharma—atteignirent ensuite le ciel.» Dans son contexte, le passage présente des sages et des maîtres exemplaires comme témoins de la légitimité de la voie du vānaprastha (l’habitant de la forêt) : par la retenue, l’ascèse et l’accomplissement du devoir dans cette étape, ils soutiennent le dharma et obtiennent une destinée posthume favorable.
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
That faithfully practicing the prescribed dharma—here, the vānaprastha (forest-dweller) discipline characterized by restraint and austerity—leads to spiritual merit and an auspicious destiny such as svarga.
Vyāsa is citing named exemplars who practiced the stated dharma; their attainment of heaven is presented as evidence of the efficacy and authority of that way of life.