Shloka 66
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 ||
व्यास उवाच—यदेकपातिनां सतां भयेषु साम्परायिकेषु, अमुत्र गच्छतां हितकरं भवति, तं केवलं निधिं धर्मज्ञानरूपं शुद्धभावेन निधत्स्व।
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
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.