Adhyāya 119: Vyāsa–Kīṭa-saṃvāda
Tapas-bala and karmic ascent across yoni
युवनाश्वेन च तथा शिबिनौशीनरेण च । मुचुकुन्देन मान्धात्रा हरिश्वन्द्रेण वा विभो
yuvanāśvena ca tathā śibinauśīnareṇa ca | mucukundena māndhātrā hariścandreṇa vā vibho kuntīnandana |
భీష్ముడు పలికెను—హే కుంతీనందన మహాబాహో! యువనాశ్వుడు, ఉశీనరవంశీయుడైన శిబి, ముచుకుందుడు, మాంధాత, హరిశ్చంద్రుడు—వీరందరూ ఈ వ్రతాన్ని ఆచరించారు.
भीष्म उवाच
Bhīṣma teaches that disciplined restraint—here exemplified by abstaining from meat during a sacred period—supports compassion toward beings and strengthens inner purity, which in turn becomes a basis for higher understanding and dharmic excellence.
In Anuśāsana Parva, Bhīṣma instructs Yudhiṣṭhira on dharma by listing renowned kings who practiced a particular vow. This verse continues the catalogue, naming Yuvanāśva, Śibi (of the Uśīnara line), Mucukunda, Māndhātṛ, and Hariścandra as exemplars.