Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 68
Adhyāya 119: Vyāsa–Kīṭa-saṃvāda
Tapas-bala and karmic ascent across yoni
राजेन्द्र! श्येनचित्र
bhīṣma uvāca | rājendra! śyenacitraḥ, somakaḥ, vṛkaḥ, raivataḥ, rantidevaḥ, vasuḥ, sūñjayaḥ, anye ca nṛpāḥ—kṛpaḥ, bharataḥ, duṣyantaḥ, karūṣaḥ, rāmaḥ, alarkaḥ, naraḥ, virūpāśvaś ca, nimiḥ, buddhimān janakaḥ, purūravāḥ, pṛthuḥ, vīrasenaḥ, ikṣvākuḥ, śambhuḥ, śvetasāgaraḥ, ajaḥ, dhundhuḥ, subāhuḥ, haryaś ca, kṣupaḥ, bharataḥ—ete sarve tathā anye ca rājānaḥ kadācana māṁsaṁ na bhakṣayām āsuḥ || brahmaloke ca tiṣṭhanti jvalamānāḥ śriyānvitāḥ | upāsyamānā gandharvaiḥ strīsahasrasamanvitāḥ ||
Wika ni Bhīṣma: “O panginoon ng mga hari! Sina Shyenacitra, Somaka, Vrika, Raivata, Rantideva, Vasu, Sūñjaya, at marami pang iba—sina Kripa, Bharata, Dushyanta, Karūṣa, Rama, Alarka, Nara, Virūpāśva, Nimi, ang marunong na si Janaka, Purūravas, Prithu, Vīrasena, Ikshvāku, Śambhu, Śvetasāgara, Aja, Dhundhu, Subāhu, Harya, Kṣupa, Bharata—ang mga ito at iba pang mga hari ay hindi kailanman kumain ng karne. At sila’y nananahan sa daigdig ni Brahmā, nagniningning at pinagkalooban ng kasaganaan, pinararangalan ng mga Gandharva at sinasamahan ng libu-libong kababaihan.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma upholds ahiṃsā and restraint in diet by citing exemplary kings who abstained from meat; their moral discipline is presented as a cause of exalted posthumous attainment (Brahmaloka), linking ethical conduct with spiritual reward.
In Bhishma’s instruction to the king, he lists renowned rulers as precedents for meat-abstinence and then states the फल (result): they dwell in Brahmaloka, radiant and prosperous, honored by Gandharvas—an argument by authoritative exemplars to persuade the listener toward the same dharmic practice.