Shloka 27
Adhyāya 270 — Yudhiṣṭhira’s inquiry on saṃnyāsa; Bhīṣma on calculable time, tamas, and karma
Vṛtra–Uśanā exemplum begins
मणिभद्र उवाच सदा धर्मफलं राज्यं सुखानि विविधानि च । फलान्येवायमश्नातु कायक्लेशविवर्जित:
Maṇibhadra uvāca: sadā dharma-phalaṁ rājyaṁ sukhāni vividhāni ca | phalāny evāyam aśnātu kāya-kleśa-vivarjitaḥ ||
ਮਣਿਭਦ੍ਰ ਨੇ ਆਖਿਆ—ਧਰਮ ਦਾ ਫਲ ਸਦਾ ਰਾਜ ਅਤੇ ਅਨੇਕ ਪ੍ਰਕਾਰ ਦੇ ਸੁਖ ਹਨ। ਇਸ ਲਈ ਇਹ ਬ੍ਰਾਹਮਣ ਸਰੀਰਕ ਕਲੇਸ਼ ਤੋਂ ਰਹਿਤ ਹੋ ਕੇ ਕੇਵਲ ਉਹਨਾਂ ਫਲਾਂ ਦਾ ਹੀ ਭੋਗ ਕਰੇ।
मणिभद्र उवाच
Educational Q&A
Maṇibhadra frames dharma as yielding tangible rewards—sovereignty and diverse happiness—and advises that one who has earned such merit should enjoy its results without self-inflicted bodily suffering.
In the Śānti Parva’s didactic setting, Maṇibhadra speaks to recommend that a brāhmaṇa (the person under discussion) should partake of the rightful fruits of his dharmic conduct, rather than embracing physical austerity or hardship.