Shloka 68
Adhyāya 119: Vyāsa–Kīṭa-saṃvāda
Tapas-bala and karmic ascent across yoni
राजेन्द्र! श्येनचित्र
bhīṣma uvāca | rājendra! śyenacitraḥ, somakaḥ, vṛkaḥ, raivataḥ, rantidevaḥ, vasuḥ, sūñjayaḥ, anye ca nṛpāḥ—kṛpaḥ, bharataḥ, duṣyantaḥ, karūṣaḥ, rāmaḥ, alarkaḥ, naraḥ, virūpāśvaś ca, nimiḥ, buddhimān janakaḥ, purūravāḥ, pṛthuḥ, vīrasenaḥ, ikṣvākuḥ, śambhuḥ, śvetasāgaraḥ, ajaḥ, dhundhuḥ, subāhuḥ, haryaś ca, kṣupaḥ, bharataḥ—ete sarve tathā anye ca rājānaḥ kadācana māṁsaṁ na bhakṣayām āsuḥ || brahmaloke ca tiṣṭhanti jvalamānāḥ śriyānvitāḥ | upāsyamānā gandharvaiḥ strīsahasrasamanvitāḥ ||
Bhishma berkata: “Wahai junjungan para raja! Shyenacitra, Somaka, Vrika, Raivata, Rantideva, Vasu, Sunjaya, dan banyak penguasa lainnya—Kripa, Bharata, Dushyanta, Karusha, Rama, Alarka, Nara, Virupashva, Nimi, Janaka yang bijaksana, Pururavas, Prithu, Virasena, Ikshvaku, Shambhu, Shvetasagara, Aja, Dhundhu, Subahu, Haryaśva, Kshupa, Bharata—mereka ini dan raja-raja lainnya tidak pernah memakan daging pada waktu mana pun. Mereka bersemayam di alam Brahma, bercahaya oleh sinar mereka sendiri, berlimpah kemuliaan; dihormati para Gandharwa dan ditemani ribuan bidadari.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma upholds ahiṃsā and restraint in diet by citing exemplary kings who abstained from meat; their moral discipline is presented as a cause of exalted posthumous attainment (Brahmaloka), linking ethical conduct with spiritual reward.
In Bhishma’s instruction to the king, he lists renowned rulers as precedents for meat-abstinence and then states the फल (result): they dwell in Brahmaloka, radiant and prosperous, honored by Gandharvas—an argument by authoritative exemplars to persuade the listener toward the same dharmic practice.