Shloka 54
Āśrama-dharma: Duties of the Four Life-Stages (आश्रमधर्मः)
न हि यज्ञसमं किज्वचित् त्रिषु लोकेषु विद्यते । तस्माद् यष्टव्यमित्याहु: पुरुषेणानसूयता । श्रद्धापवित्रमाश्रित्य यथाशक्ति यथेच्छया
na hi yajñasamaṃ kiñcic triṣu lokeṣu vidyate | tasmād yaṣṭavyam ity āhuḥ puruṣeṇān-asūyatā | śraddhāpavitram āśritya yathāśakti yathecchayā ||
Bhīṣma dit : «Dans les trois mondes, rien n’égale le sacrifice (yajña). C’est pourquoi les sages déclarent qu’un homme doit accomplir le sacrifice — sans esprit de reproche ni jalousie — s’appuyant sur la puissance purificatrice de la foi (śraddhā), et l’entreprenant selon ses moyens et selon l’intention qu’il a choisie.»
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Yajña is upheld as supremely valuable in the moral-religious order; one should perform it without envy or fault-finding, grounded in faith, and in a manner proportionate to one’s means and chosen intention.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma, Bhishma advises Yudhishthira by praising yajña and prescribing the proper inner attitude (non-envy, faith) and practical measure (according to capacity) for its performance.