Shloka 2
Go-dāna-phala-nirdeśa
Merit and Destinations from the Gift of Cows
व्रतानां कि फल प्रोक्त कीदृशं वा महाद्युते । नियमानां फलं कि च स्वधीतस्य च कि फलम्,महाद्युते! व्रतोंका क्या और कैसा फल बताया गया है? नियमोंके पालन और स्वाध्यायका भी क्या फल है?
Yudhiṣṭhira uvāca |
Vratānāṃ kiṃ phalaṃ proktaṃ kīdṛśaṃ vā mahādyute |
Niyamānāṃ phalaṃ kiṃ ca svādhītasya ca kiṃ phalam, mahādyute ||
યુધિષ્ઠિર બોલ્યા— હે મહાદ્યુતે! વ્રતોના પાલનનું ફળ શું કહેવાયું છે અને તેનું સ્વરૂપ કેવું છે? નિયમોના પાલનનું ફળ શું છે, અને સ્વાધ્યાયનું ફળ શું છે, હે તેજસ્વી?
युधिछ्िर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames a dharma-inquiry: it asks how vows (vrata), disciplined conduct (niyama), and scriptural self-study (svādhyāya) yield ethical and spiritual results, emphasizing that practice is evaluated by its ‘fruit’—its transformative effect and moral outcome.
In Anuśāsana Parva’s instruction-focused setting, Yudhiṣṭhira respectfully questions an illustrious teacher-figure about the promised results of religious vows, disciplined observances, and self-study, seeking clarity on their value and proper understanding.