Shloka 4
अश्वमेध-उपदेशः तथा मरुत्त-यज्ञ-धन-प्रसङ्गः
Counsel on Aśvamedha and the Marutta-treasure episode
तपोभि: क्रतुभिश्वैव दानेन च युधिष्िर । तरन्ति नित्यं पुरुषा ये सम पापानि कुर्वते,युधिष्ठिर! जो लोग पाप करते हैं, वे तप, यज्ञ और दानके द्वारा ही सदा अपना उद्धार करते हैं
tapobhiḥ kratubhiś caiva dānena ca yudhiṣṭhira | taranti nityaṁ puruṣā ye samaṁ pāpāni kurvate ||
Vyāsa said: “O Yudhiṣṭhira, those people who commit sins are able to cross beyond them only through austerity, sacrificial rites, and charitable giving; by these means they continually secure their deliverance.”
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
Wrongdoing is not treated as irreversible: one can ‘cross over’ sin through sustained moral and religious disciplines—tapas (self-restraint and austerity), kratu/yajña (sacrificial duty), and dāna (generous giving). The verse frames these as practical means of purification and ethical restoration.
Vyāsa addresses Yudhiṣṭhira with counsel on moral recovery, emphasizing traditional dharmic remedies—ascetic discipline, sacrificial observance, and charity—as ongoing supports for those seeking release from the consequences of sinful actions.