Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 29
Gautama–Śakra Saṃvāda: Karma, Loka-bheda, and the Restoration of the Elephant
गौतम उवाच ततो<परे भांति लोका: सनातना: सुपुण्यगन्धा विरजा वीतशोका: । सोमस्य राज्ञ: सदने महात्मन- स्तत्र त्वाहं हस्तिनं यातयिष्ये
Gautama uvāca: tato 'pare bhānti lokāḥ sanātanāḥ supuṇyagandhā virajā vītaśokāḥ | somasya rājñaḥ sadane mahātmanaḥ tatra tvāhaṃ hastinaṃ yātayiṣye ||
ໂຄຕະມະ ກ່າວວ່າ: «ຍັງມີໂລກອະມະຕະອື່ນໆອີກທີ່ສ່ອງສະຫວ່າງຢູ່ເກີນກວ່ານີ້—ເຕັມໄປດ້ວຍກິ່ນຫອມແຫ່ງບຸນອັນຍິ່ງ, ປາດຈາກຝຸ່ນແລະກິເລດ, ແລະບໍ່ມີຄວາມໂສກເສົ້າເລີຍ. ນັ້ນແມ່ນທີ່ພຳນັກຂອງພະຣາຊາໂສມະ ຜູ້ມີຈິດໃຫຍ່. ເມື່ອຂ້າພະເຈົ້າໄປເຖິງໂລກນັ້ນ ທີ່ນັ້ນແຫຼະ ຂ້າພະເຈົ້າຈະທວງເອົາຊ້າງຂອງຂ້າພະເຈົ້າຄືນຈາກພະອົງ».
गौतम उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse contrasts higher, merit-born realms—described as radiant, pure (viraja) and sorrowless (vītaśoka)—with ordinary existence, implying that ethical and spiritual merit leads to states characterized by inner clarity and freedom from grief. It also underscores the moral force of a sage’s resolve: rightful restitution will be pursued even across realms.
Gautama speaks of transcendent, eternal worlds and identifies the abode of King Soma as such a realm. He declares that upon reaching Soma’s domain he will recover his elephant from the addressed king, indicating an impending act of reclaiming what is due.