Shloka 57
Svargārohaṇa-parva Adhyāya 5 — Karmaphala-Nirdeśa and Phalāśruti (कर्मफलनिर्देशः फलश्रुतिश्च)
इतिहासमिमं पुण्यं महार्थ वेदसम्मितम् । व्यासोक्तं श्रूयते येन कृत्वा ब्राह्मणमग्रत:,शौनकजी! जो मनुष्य ब्राह्मणोंको आगे करके गम्भीर अर्थसे परिपूर्ण और वेदकी समानता करनेवाले इस व्यासप्रणीत पवित्र इतिहासका श्रवण करता है वह इस जगतमें सारे मनोवाड्छित भोगों और उत्तम कीर्तिको पाकर परम सिद्धि प्राप्त कर लेता है। इस विषयमें मुझे तनिक भी संशय नहीं है
itihāsam imaṁ puṇyaṁ mahārtha-veda-sammitam | vyāsoktaṁ śrūyate yena kṛtvā brāhmaṇam agrataḥ ||
Vaiśampāyana said: Whoever listens to this sacred history—of profound meaning and comparable in authority to the Veda—composed and spoken by Vyāsa, having first placed Brahmins in the foremost position (i.e., honoring them and hearing it in their presence), attains in this world all desired enjoyments and excellent fame, and finally reaches the highest fulfillment. Of this, I have not the slightest doubt.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that reverent listening to the Mahābhārata—treated as a sacred, Veda-like source of dharma—yields both worldly well-being (desired enjoyments and good fame) and the highest spiritual attainment, especially when done with proper respect for Brahmins and ritual propriety.
At the close of the epic (Svargārohaṇa context), Vaiśampāyana delivers a phalaśruti: a concluding assurance about the merit and transformative power of hearing this Vyāsa-composed sacred history, emphasizing its authority and the proper manner of reception.