Shloka 22
महाभिष-गङ्गा-दर्शनं वसूनां शापकथनं च
Mahābhiṣa Encounters Gaṅgā; The Vasus Explain Their Curse
ययातिरुवाच तपश्न दान॑ च शमो दमश्न ह्वीरार्जवं सर्वभूतानुकम्पा । स्वर्गस्थ लोकस्य वदन्ति सन््तो द्वाराणि सप्तैव महान्ति पुंसाम् । नश्यन्ति मानेन तमो5भिभूता: पुंस: सदैवेति वदन्ति सन्त:,ययाति बोले--राजन्! साधु पुरुष स्वर्गलोकके सात महान् दरवाजे बतलाते हैं, जिनसे प्राणी उसमें प्रवेश करते हैं। उनके नाम ये हैं--तप, दान, शम, दम, लज्जा, सरलता और समस्त प्राणियोंके प्रति दया। वे तप आदि द्वार सदा ही पुरुषके अभिमानरूप तमसे आच्छादित होनेपर नष्ट हो जाते हैं, यह संत पुरुषोंका कथन है
yayātir uvāca: tapaś ca dānaṃ ca śamo damaś ca hrīr ārjavaṃ sarvabhūtānukampā | svargastha lokasya vadanti santaḥ dvārāṇi saptaiva mahānti puṃsām | naśyanti mānena tamo’bhibhūtāḥ puṃsaḥ sadaiveti vadanti santaḥ ||
Yayāti said: “Austerity, generosity, tranquility, self-restraint, modesty, straightforwardness, and compassion toward all beings—these, the wise declare, are the seven great gates by which a person enters the heavenly world. Yet the sages also say that these very gates are continually ruined when a person is overcome by the darkness of pride.”
अष्टक उवाच
Educational Q&A
Heaven (and, more broadly, spiritual uplift) is approached through seven virtues—tapas, dāna, śama, dama, hrī, ārjava, and compassion—but pride (māna), described as tamas, can destroy these virtues in a person.
In a didactic exchange, Yayāti articulates a moral teaching: the sages recognize seven ‘gates’ leading to the heavenly realm, and he warns that arrogance eclipses and ruins these gateways of conduct.