अध्याय २६ — युद्ध-निन्दा, काम-दोष, तथा धार्तराष्ट्र-नीति-विश्लेषण
War-aversion, Desire as a Policy Fault, and Analysis of Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Governance
वेदो5धीतक्नरितं ब्रह्मचर्य यज्ञैरिषं ब्राह्मणेभ्यश्व दत्तम् । परं स्थानं मन्यमानेन भूय आत्मा दत्तो वर्षपूगं सुखेभ्य:
sañjaya uvāca | vedo’dhītaṁ kṛtaṁ brahmacaryaṁ yajñair iṣṭaṁ brāhmaṇebhyaś ca dattam | paraṁ sthānaṁ manyamānena bhūya ātmā datto varṣapūgaṁ sukhebhyaḥ ||
ସଞ୍ଜୟ କହିଲେ—ପରଲୋକର ସତ୍ୟତାରେ ଶ୍ରଦ୍ଧା ରଖି ସେ ବେଦ ଅଧ୍ୟୟନ କଲା, ବ୍ରହ୍ମଚର୍ଯ୍ୟ ପାଳନ କଲା, ଯଜ୍ଞ କଲା ଓ ବ୍ରାହ୍ମଣମାନଙ୍କୁ ଦାନ ଦେଲା। ଏହାକୁ ପରମ ପଦର ଉପାୟ ଭାବି, ସେଠାରେ ଅଗଣିତ ବର୍ଷ ସୁଖ ଭୋଗିବା ପାଇଁ ନିଜକୁ ମଧ୍ୟ ସମର୍ପଣ କଲା।
संजय उवाच
The verse links ethical-religious discipline—Vedic study, brahmacarya, sacrifice, and generosity—to the pursuit of a higher post-mortem goal. It also warns implicitly that even great merit can be motivated by desire for prolonged heavenly enjoyment, not only by pure renunciation.
Sañjaya describes a person’s accumulated religious merits and intentions: he undertakes orthodox duties and gifts, convinced of the next world and aiming at the ‘highest state,’ even offering himself in pursuit of long-lasting otherworldly pleasures.