Shloka 25
Adhyāya 119: Vyāsa–Kīṭa-saṃvāda
Tapas-bala and karmic ascent across yoni
स्वाहास्वधामृतभुजो देवा: सत्यार्जवप्रिया: । क्रव्यादान् राक्षसान् विद्धि जिह्मानृतपरायणान्
svāhāsvadhāmṛtabhujo devāḥ satyārjavapriyāḥ | kravyādān rākṣasān viddhi jihmānṛtaparāyaṇān ||
ビーシュマは言った。「スヴァーハー（神々への供献）とスヴァダー（祖霊への供献）を修し、祭祀の残りを甘露のごとくいただき、真実と率直を愛する者——その者は行いにおいて『デーヴァ（天）』と知るべきである。だが、肉食を常とし、狡猾と虚言に身を委ねる者——その者は本性において『ラークシャサ（羅刹）』と知れ。」
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhīṣma defines ‘deva’ and ‘rākṣasa’ primarily as ethical types: devotion to truth, simplicity, and sacrificial discipline aligns one with the deva-nature, while deceit, falsehood, and habitual flesh-eating align one with rākṣasa-nature.
In the Anuśāsana Parva’s instruction on dharma, Bhīṣma continues his didactic discourse, offering a moral classification of beings by conduct—contrasting those who uphold yajña and truthful straightforwardness with those devoted to deception and violent appetite.