Shloka 88
आदि पर्व, अध्याय 96 — काश्यकन्याहरणं, शाल्वसमागमः, अम्बावचनं च
Kāśī princesses taken; encounter with Śālva; Ambā’s declaration
इतिहासमिमं पुण्यमशेषत: श्रावयिष्यन्ति ये नरा: श्रोष्यन्ति वा नियतात्मानो विमत्सरा मैत्रा वेद-परास्तेडपि स्वर्गजित: पुण्यलोका भवन्ति सततं देवब्राह्मणमनुष्याणां मान्या: सम्पूज्याश्व॒,जो पुण्यात्मा मनुष्य मनको वशमें करके ईर्ष्या छोड़कर सबके प्रति मैत्रीभावको रखते हुए वेदपरायण हो इस सम्पूर्ण पुण्यमय इतिहासको सुनावेंगे अथवा सुनेंगे वे स्वर्गलोकके अधिकारी होंगे और देवता, ब्राह्मण तथा मनुष्योंके लिये सदैव आदरणीय तथा पूजनीय होंगे
vaiśampāyana uvāca | itihāsam imaṃ puṇyam aśeṣataḥ śrāvayiṣyanti ye narāḥ śroṣyanti vā niyatātmāno vimatsarā maitrā vedaparā api | svargajitaḥ puṇyalokā bhavanti satataṃ devabrāhmaṇamanuṣyāṇāṃ mānyāḥ sampūjyāś ca ||
Vaiśampāyana said: Those people who, with disciplined minds, free from envy, and maintaining friendliness toward all, will recite this wholly auspicious history in full—or will listen to it—being devoted to the Veda as well, attain the right to heaven and dwell in meritorious worlds. They become ever worthy of honor and worship among gods, Brahmins, and human beings.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that engaging with the Mahābhārata as a sacred itihāsa—by reciting it for others or listening to it oneself—should be done with self-discipline, freedom from envy, and universal friendliness. Such ethical inner qualities, joined with Veda-oriented devotion, are said to yield spiritual merit, heavenly attainment, and lasting social-religious honor.
Vaiśampāyana concludes a section by praising the fruit (phalaśruti) of the narrative itself: he declares the rewards for those who transmit or receive this complete, auspicious history in the proper spirit—promising heavenly worlds and esteem among gods, Brahmins, and humans.