Āśrama-dharma and Brahmacarya: Śuka’s Inquiry on Karma and Tyāga (शुक-प्रश्नः कर्मत्यागविवेकश्च)
तपसा वा सुमहता विद्यानां पारणेन वा । इज्यया वा प्रदानैर्वा विप्राणां वर्धते यश:
tapasā vā sumahatā vidyānāṁ pāraṇena vā | ijyayā vā pradānair vā viprāṇāṁ vardhate yaśaḥ ||
Kemasyhuran seorang brāhmaṇa bertambah melalui tapa yang sangat besar, melalui penyelesaian belajar yang tuntas, melalui yajña, atau melalui pemberian dana. Selama nama baik yang meninggikan martabatnya masih bertahan di dunia ini, selama itu pula ia tinggal di alam-alam yang tak binasa milik orang saleh dan menikmati kebahagiaan ilahi.
व्यास उवाच
Renown grounded in dharmic conduct—especially austerity, completed study, sacrifice, and generosity—creates lasting merit; as long as such good fame endures in the world, it is linked with residence in imperishable blessed realms and the enjoyment of divine happiness.
In the didactic discourse of the Śānti Parva, Vyāsa states a general principle about how a brāhmaṇa’s reputation is increased through disciplined practice and beneficent acts, and he connects that reputation with posthumous reward among the righteous.