Karma-Phala Rahasya and the Ethics of Dāna (कर्मफल-रहस्यं दानधर्मश्च)
सलिलाशी भवेद् यस्तु सदाग्नि: संस्कृतो द्विज: । मनुं साधयतो राज्यं नाकपृष्ठमनाशके
salilāśī bhaved yas tu sadāgniḥ saṃskṛto dvijaḥ | manuṃ sādhayato rājyaṃ nākapṛṣṭham anāśake ||
ພີສະມະ ກ່າວວ່າ: ທະວິຊະ (ຜູ້ເກີດສອງຄັ້ງ) ຜູ້ຝຶກຝົນດີ ຜູ້ດຳລົງຊີວິດດ້ວຍນ້ຳ, ຮັກສາໄຟບູຊາ (ອັກນິໂຫຕຣະ) ຢ່າງສະເໝີ, ແລະອຸທິດຕົນໃນການສາທະນາມັນຕຣາ ຍ່ອມໄດ້ອຳນາດປົກຄອງ ໂດຍຍຶດຕາມບັນຍັດຂອງມະນຸ (Manu). ແລະດ້ວຍການຖືພຣະວຣະຕະອົດອາຫານ (ບໍ່ກິນ) ມະນຸດຍ່ອມໄປຮອດໂລກສະຫວັນ.
भीष्म उवाच
The verse links disciplined ascetic practice and Vedic ritual observance with tangible and transcendent rewards: sovereignty (as a fruit of dharmic discipline aligned with Manu’s ordinance) and heavenly attainment through rigorous fasting. It emphasizes that self-restraint and sustained sacred duty generate spiritual and social authority.
In the Anushasana Parva’s instruction on dharma, Bhishma continues advising on vows and religious disciplines. Here he describes exemplary Brahminical austerities—living on water, maintaining the sacred fires, and mantra-practice—and states the resulting fruits: rulership for the dharma-practitioner and heaven for one who undertakes fasting.