Shloka 34
परिव्राजक-आचारः (Conduct of the Wandering Renunciant) — Mahābhārata, Śānti-parva 269
एतेषां प्रेत्यभावे तु कतम: स्वर्गजित्तम: । एतदाचक्ष्व मे ब्रह्मन् यथातत्त्वेन पृच्छत:
eteṣāṃ pretyabhāve tu katamaḥ svargajittamaḥ | etad ācakṣva me brahman yathātattvena pṛcchataḥ ||
हे ब्रह्मन्! इन उपायों में—भोग, दान, यज्ञ, स्वाध्याय और त्याग—इनमें से कौन पुरुष मृत्यु के बाद सबसे अधिक स्वर्ग-विजयी होता है? मैं यथार्थ जानने की इच्छा से पूछ रहा हूँ; आप मुझे इसे तत्त्वतः बताइए।
कपिल उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames an ethical inquiry about the right use of wealth and effort: whether pleasure, charity, sacrifice, study, or renunciation yields the highest posthumous spiritual result. It sets up a hierarchy of values where intention and dharmic orientation determine the fruit after death.
In the Shanti Parva’s instructional dialogue, Kapila addresses a Brahman teacher/interlocutor and asks for a precise judgment: among several life-paths connected with wealth and discipline, which most powerfully leads to victory in heaven after death.