Shloka 15
Adhyāya 57: Tapas–Dāna Phala
On the Fruits of Austerity and Giving
गीतध्वनिं सुमधुरं तथैवाध्यापनध्वनिम् । हंसान् सुमधुरांश्चापि तत्र शुश्राव पार्थिव:
gītadhvaniṃ sumadhuraṃ tathaivādhyāpanadhvanim | haṃsān sumadhurāṃś cāpi tatra śuśrāva pārthivaḥ ||
Bhishma berkata: “Di sana raja mendengar, pada suatu ketika, bunyi nyanyian yang amat merdu; pada ketika lain, gema khusyuk bacaan Weda; dan sekali lagi, panggilan angsa yang menyenangkan. Pemandangan itu membayangkan suatu alam yang tertata oleh dharma—di mana kenikmatan yang halus, pembelajaran yang berdisiplin, dan keharmonian alam wujud bersama tanpa berlebih-lebihan.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
A dharmic realm is marked by balanced cultivation: refined arts (music), disciplined sacred learning (Vedic recitation), and a peaceful natural environment. The verse suggests that ethical governance supports both culture and spiritual practice, producing harmony rather than noise or disorder.
Bhishma describes what the king hears in that place—alternating sounds of melodious singing, the grave cadence of Vedic study, and the sweet calls of swans—painting an atmosphere of serenity, learning, and well-ordered royal life.