Shloka 2
Aśoka-śāstra: Nārada’s Instruction on the Cessation of Śoka
Grief
जड्घाभ्यां तु वसून् देवानाप्नुयादिति नः श्रुतम् । जानुभ्यां च महाभागान् साध्यान् देवानवाप्रुयात्
jaḍghābhyāṁ tu vasūn devān āpnuyād iti naḥ śrutam | jānubhyāṁ ca mahābhāgān sādhyan devān avāpruyāt ||
Yājñavalkya dit : «Nous avons entendu dire que, si (le souffle) s’en va par les cuisses, on atteint les Vasus parmi les dieux ; et que, s’il s’en va par les genoux, on atteint les Sādhyas, les bienheureux parmi les dieux.»
याज्ञवल्क्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse conveys a traditional mapping between parts of the body and specific divine attainments: merit associated with the thighs is said to lead to the realm/company of the Vasus, and merit associated with the knees to that of the Sādhyas. It reflects a ritual-cosmological symbolism where bodily loci correspond to graded spiritual results.
In Śānti Parva’s didactic setting, the sage Yājñavalkya is presenting received tradition (śruti/smṛti-style teaching) about how particular observances or symbolic associations relate to attaining certain classes of gods, continuing a broader exposition on dharma and the structure of spiritual rewards.