Shloka 21
महाभिष-गङ्गा-दर्शनं वसूनां शापकथनं च
Mahābhiṣa Encounters Gaṅgā; The Vasus Explain Their Curse
अष्टक उवाच किंस्वित् कृत्वा लभते तात लोकान् मर्त्य: श्रेष्ठांस्तपसा विद्यया वा | तन्मे पृष्ट: शंस सर्व यथाव- च्छुभाललोकान् येन गच्छेत् क्रमेण,अष्टकने पूछा--तात! मनुष्य कौन-सा कर्म करके उत्तम लोक प्राप्त करता है? वे लोक तपसे प्राप्त होते हैं या विद्यासे? मैं यही पूछता हूँ। जिस कर्मके द्वारा क्रमशः श्रेष्ठ लोकोंकी प्राप्ति हो सके, वह सब यथार्थरूपसे बताइये
Aṣṭaka uvāca: kiṃ svit kṛtvā labhate tāta lokān martyāḥ śreṣṭhāṃs tapasā vidyayā vā | tan me pṛṣṭaḥ śaṃsa sarvaṃ yathāvac chubhān lokān yena gacchet krameṇa ||
Aṣṭaka said: “Dear father, by doing what does a mortal attain the highest worlds? Are those worlds gained through austerity, or through knowledge? I ask you this—tell me truly and in full: by what course of action may one, step by step, reach the auspicious and श्रेष्ठ (excellent) worlds?”
अष्टक उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames a classic dharmic inquiry: what human effort leads to the highest spiritual/posthumous attainments—ascetic discipline (tapas) or knowledge (vidyā)? It emphasizes truthful instruction (yathāvat) and a graded path (krameṇa), suggesting that attainment is connected to deliberate practice and right understanding rather than chance.
Aṣṭaka addresses an elder as “tāta” and asks for authoritative guidance about the means to reach “auspicious worlds.” He requests a complete and accurate explanation of the actions or disciplines by which one progresses step by step toward higher realms.