Adhyāya 270 — Yudhiṣṭhira’s inquiry on saṃnyāsa; Bhīṣma on calculable time, tamas, and karma
Vṛtra–Uśanā exemplum begins
मणिभद्र उवाच प्रीतास्ते देवता: सर्वा द्विजस्यास्य तथैव च । भविष्यत्येष धर्मात्मा धर्मे चाधास्यते मति:
maṇibhadra uvāca prītās te devatāḥ sarvā dvijasya asya tathaiva ca | bhaviṣyaty eṣa dharmātmā dharme cādhāsyate matiḥ ||
മണിഭദ്രൻ പറഞ്ഞു—ആ ദേവതകൾ എല്ലാവരും പ്രസന്നരാണ്; ഈ ബ്രാഹ്മണനോടും അതുപോലെ. ഇദ്ദേഹം തീർച്ചയായും ധർമ്മാത്മാവാകും; അവന്റെ മനസ്സ് ധർമ്മത്തിൽ ഉറച്ചുനിൽക്കും.
मणिभद्र उवाच
When divine and moral forces are pleased by one’s conduct, the lasting fruit is inner transformation: a person becomes dharmātmā, with the mind steadily oriented toward dharma rather than wavering with circumstance.
Maṇibhadra pronounces a favorable outcome: the deities are satisfied, and the brahmin in question will develop a righteous character, with firm resolve to live according to dharma.