Shloka 44
Svargārohaṇa-parva Adhyāya 5 — Karmaphala-Nirdeśa and Phalāśruti (कर्मफलनिर्देशः फलश्रुतिश्च)
यद् रात्रौ कुरुते पापं ब्राह्मण: स्त्रीगणैर्व॒त: । महाभारतमाख्याय पूर्वा संध्यां प्रमुच्यते
yad rātrau kurute pāpaṃ brāhmaṇaḥ strīgaṇair vṛtaḥ | mahābhāratam ākhyāya pūrvāṃ sandhyāṃ pramucyate ||
Vaiśampāyana berkata: Apa jua dosa yang dilakukan seorang brāhmaṇa pada waktu malam ketika dikelilingi sekumpulan wanita—dia dilepaskan daripadanya dengan membacakan Mahābhārata pada waktu sandhyā pagi.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that sacred recitation—specifically of the Mahābhārata—performed at the morning sandhyā is regarded as a powerful means of purification, and it implicitly reinforces the expectation of moral restraint, especially for those held to higher standards of conduct.
Vaiśampāyana states a phalaśruti-style claim about the merit of reciting the Mahābhārata: even sins committed at night (illustrated through the example of a brāhmaṇa amid a group of women) are said to be absolved by recitation at the morning twilight.