देवतापितृप्रश्नः — Nārada at Badarīāśrama: the ultimate referent of daiva and pitṛ worship
यदेकपातिनां सतां भवत्यमुत्र गच्छताम् | भयेषु साम्परायिकं निधत्स्व केवल निधिम्
yad ekapātināṁ satāṁ bhavaty amutra gacchatām | bhayeṣu sāmparāyikaṁ nidhatsva kevala-nidhim ||
Vyāsa disse: «Ajunta com intenção pura esse único tesouro—o dharma e o verdadeiro conhecimento—que, no além, se torna o real benefício para os virtuosos que devem viajar sós, sobretudo quando surgem os temores da passagem final.»
व्यास उवाच
One should consciously accumulate the ‘only true wealth’—dharma grounded in right understanding—because at death a person goes alone, and only inner merit and wisdom can protect and benefit one in the hereafter.
In Śānti Parva’s instruction-oriented setting, Vyāsa delivers a concise admonition: prepare for the inevitable solitary journey beyond life by storing up spiritual capital (dharma/jñāna), especially as the fears and uncertainties of the final transition approach.