Shloka 55
देवतापितृप्रश्नः — Nārada at Badarīāśrama: the ultimate referent of daiva and pitṛ worship
इहाग्निसूर्यवायव: शरीरमश्रितास्त्रय: | त एव तस्य साक्षिणो भवन्न्ति धर्मदर्शिन:
ihāgnisūryavāyavaḥ śarīram āśritās trayaḥ | ta eva tasya sākṣiṇo bhavanti dharmadarśinaḥ ||
Neste mundo, três divindades—o Fogo (Agni), o Sol (Sūrya) e o Vento (Vāyu)—habitam tomando por apoio o corpo do ser vivo. Eles mesmos contemplam a conduta no dharma e, no além, tornam-se as testemunhas dessa pessoa.
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
No action is truly hidden: the fundamental cosmic powers present within embodied life—fire, sun, and wind—observe one’s dharmic or adharmic conduct and stand as witnesses, implying moral accountability beyond social surveillance.
Vyāsa states a doctrinal point within Śānti Parva’s ethical instruction: he explains that certain deities dwell in the body and function as observers and post-mortem witnesses of a person’s behavior, reinforcing the seriousness of righteous conduct.