Shloka 34

Go-dāna-phala-nirdeśa

Merit and Destinations from the Gift of Cows

Devanagari script

असंशयं विनीतात्मा स वै स्वर्गे महीयते । ब्रह्मचर्यस्य च गुणं शृणु त्वं वसुधाधिप

Transliteration

asaṁśayaṁ vinītātmā sa vai svarge mahīyate | brahmacaryasya ca guṇaṁ śṛṇu tvaṁ vasudhādhipa ||

Translation

Bhishma disse: “Sem dúvida, aquele que disciplinou a mente e se tornou verdadeiramente humilde é honrado no céu. Ó senhor da terra, ouve agora enquanto descrevo as virtudes do brahmacarya (casta continência, autocontenção pura).”

Word by Word

• {'asaṁśayam': 'without doubt

• certainly', 'vinīta-ātmā': 'one whose inner self (mind) is trained, disciplined, and humble', 'saḥ': 'he

• that person', 'vai': 'indeed

• emphatic particle', 'svarge': 'in heaven

• in the celestial world', 'mahīyate': 'is honored

• is held in high esteem', 'brahmacaryasya': 'of brahmacarya

• of celibate discipline / chaste conduct / student-like self-restraint', 'ca': 'and', 'guṇam': 'virtue

• beneficial quality', 'śṛṇu': 'hear

• listen', 'tvam': 'you', 'vasudhā-adhipa': 'lord of the earth

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma (speaker)
• Yudhiṣṭhira (addressed as Vasudhādhipa)
• Svarga (heaven)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Mental discipline expressed as humility (vinaya) is praised as a source of spiritual merit, leading to honor in heaven; Bhishma then frames brahmacarya as a key virtue whose benefits deserve careful hearing.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Anuśāsana Parva, Bhishma continues instructing King Yudhiṣṭhira on dharma. Here he transitions into a focused discourse on brahmacarya, first affirming that a mind brought under control and made humble is highly rewarded.