Shloka 4
Adhyāya 314 — हिमवदाश्रमः, शक्तिक्षेपकथा, तथा स्वाध्यायविधिः
Himalayan Hermitage, the Myth of the Thrown Spear, and Rules of Vedic Study
केवलेनेह पुण्येन गतिमूर्ध्वामवाप्रुयात्
kevaleneha puṇyena gatim ūrdhvām avāpruyāt
Yājñavalkya bersabda: “Di dunia ini, dengan kebajikan semata pun seseorang dapat menempuh jalan yang menanjak—menuju keadaan-keadaan yang lebih tinggi.”
याज़्वल्क्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse states that puṇya—ethical merit gained through righteous conduct—can by itself lead to an “upward” destiny, i.e., higher realms or improved states of existence.
In the didactic setting of the Śānti Parva, Yājñavalkya is presenting a doctrinal point about the fruits of action: he explains the efficacy of merit in determining one’s post-mortem or future course.