Shloka 24
नारद–असित (देवल) संवादः — भूतप्रभवाप्यय, इन्द्रिय-गुण-विवेक, क्षेत्रज्ञ-तत्त्व
पशवश्च मनुष्यश् ट्रुमाश्नीषधिभि: सह । स्वर्गमेवाभिकांक्षन्ते न च स्वर्गस्ततो मखात्
paśavaś ca manuṣyāś ca drumāś ca oṣadhībhiḥ saha | svargam evābhikāṅkṣante na ca svargas tato makhāt ||
पशु, मनुष्य, वृक्ष और ओषधियाँ—ये सब स्वर्ग की ही आकांक्षा करते हैं; पर उस महान स्वर्गलोक की प्राप्ति यज्ञ के अतिरिक्त किसी अन्य उपाय से नहीं होती।
कपिल उवाच
Educational Q&A
Desire for higher attainment (svarga) is widespread across living and life-supporting forms, but mere longing is insufficient; the text highlights yajña (makha)—disciplined, consecrated offering and duty—as the effective means to that result.
In the Shanti Parva’s instructional dialogue, Kapila speaks as a teacher, using a broad list of beings (animals, humans, trees, herbs) to universalize the aspiration for heaven and then asserts the primacy of yajña as the recognized path to that goal.