Shloka 39

Kṣānti–Tejas Viveka: Prahlāda’s Instruction to Bali

Draupadī’s Application

Devanagari script

अन्ये वै यजुषां लोका: कर्मिणामपरे तथा । क्षमावतां ब्रह्मलोके लोका: परमपूजिता:,(सकामभावसे) यज्ञकर्मोंका अनुष्ठान करनेवाले पुरुषोंके लोक दूसरे हैं एवं (सकामभावसे) वापी, कूप, तडाग और दान आदि कर्म करनेवाले मनुष्योंके लोक दूसरे हैं। परंतु क्षमावानोंके लोक ब्रह्मलोकके अन्तर्गत हैं; जो अत्यन्त पूजित हैं

Transliteration

anye vai yajuṣāṁ lokāḥ karmiṇām apare tathā | kṣamāvatāṁ brahmaloke lokāḥ paramapūjitāḥ ||

Translation

Yudhiṣṭhira said: “The worlds attained by those devoted to the rites of the Yajurveda are of one kind, and the worlds attained by other doers of meritorious works are of another. But the worlds of the forbearing—those endowed with kṣamā (patient forgiveness)—belong within Brahmaloka itself, and they are held in the highest honor.”

Word by Word

• {'anye': 'others

• some (people)', 'vai': 'indeed

• certainly (emphatic particle)', 'yajuṣām': 'of the Yajus/Yajurveda

• of Yajurvedic rites', 'lokāḥ': 'worlds

• realms of posthumous attainment', 'karmiṇām': 'of those who perform works/ritual actions

• doers of karma', 'apare': 'others

• another group', 'tathā': 'likewise

• similarly', 'kṣamāvatām': 'of the patient/forbearing

• those possessing forgiveness', 'brahmaloke': 'in Brahmaloka

• the world/realm of Brahmā (highest heavenly realm in this context)', 'parama-pūjitāḥ': 'supremely honored

Speaker

युधिछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Yajurveda (Yajus)
• Brahmaloka

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse ranks inner virtue above external merit: ritual performance and other meritorious acts lead to distinct heavenly realms, but the practice of kṣamā—patient forgiveness and restraint—elevates one to the most honored status within Brahmaloka, implying that moral excellence surpasses mere ritual or reward-seeking action.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Vana Parva dialogue context, Yudhiṣṭhira reflects on the comparative fruits of different paths—Vedic ritual action, other pious works, and the ethical discipline of forgiveness—asserting that the forbearant are especially revered and attain the highest realm.