Shloka 16
असंतोषादिदोष-निरूपणम्
On the Faults of Discontent and the Discipline of Detachment
देवयान और पितृयान--ये दो परलोकके प्रसिद्ध मार्ग हैं। जो सकाम यज्ञोंका अनुष्ठान करनेवाले हैं वे पितृयानसे जाते हैं और मोक्षके अधिकारी देवयानमार्गसे ।।
tapasā brahmacaryeṇa svādhyāyena maharṣayaḥ | vimucya dehāṃs te yānti mṛtyor aviṣayaṃ gatāḥ || devayānaḥ pitṛyānaś ca—ete dvau paralokasya prasiddhau mārgau | ye sakāma-yajñān anuṣṭhātāraḥ te pitṛyānena yānti, mokṣādhikāriṇaḥ devayāna-mārgeṇa ||
ଯୁଧିଷ୍ଠିର କହିଲେ—ଦେବୟାନ ଓ ପିତୃୟାନ—ଏହି ଦୁଇଟି ପରଲୋକର ପ୍ରସିଦ୍ଧ ମାର୍ଗ। ଫଳକାମନାରେ ଯଜ୍ଞକର୍ମ କରୁଥିବାମାନେ ପିତୃୟାନରେ ଯାଆନ୍ତି; ମୋକ୍ଷର ଅଧିକାରୀମାନେ ଦେବୟାନ ମାର୍ଗରେ। ମହର୍ଷିମାନେ ତପସ୍ୟା, ବ୍ରହ୍ମଚର୍ଯ୍ୟ ଓ ସ୍ୱାଧ୍ୟାୟର ବଳରେ ଦେହ ତ୍ୟାଗ କରି, ଯେଉଁ ଲୋକରେ ମୃତ୍ୟୁର ପ୍ରବେଶ ନାହିଁ ସେଠାକୁ ପହଞ୍ଚନ୍ତି।
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage distinguishes two post-mortem trajectories: ritual action pursued for desired results leads along the Pitṛyāna (a merit-based path), while those oriented to liberation—grounded in austerity, disciplined celibacy, and sacred study—attain the Devayāna and reach a state beyond the reach of death.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma and ultimate good, Yudhiṣṭhira articulates a doctrinal contrast between result-seeking sacrificial practice and the liberative discipline of sages, describing how the latter, after leaving the body, attain a deathless realm.