Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 683
Vānaprastha-dharma and Tapas: Śiva–Umā Saṃvāda
Forest-Stage Discipline and Austerity
भूतिकामेन मर्त्येन सत्यमेतद् ब्रवीमि ते । इस प्रकार उत्तम कुलमें उत्पन्न हुए ब्राह्मणोंने पूर्वकालमें यह प्रत्यक्ष देखा और अनुभव किया है; अत: अपना कल्याण चाहनेवाले मनुष्योंको शास्त्रमें जिन्हें त्याज्य बतलाया है
bhūtikāmena martyena satyam etad bravīmi te |
Wika ni Śakra: “Para sa mortal na naghahangad ng kasaganaan at kagalingan, sinasabi ko ito sa iyo bilang katotohanan. Noong unang panahon, ang mga Brahmanang isinilang sa mararangal na angkan ay nakita ito nang tuwiran at pinatunayan sa sariling karanasan. Kaya ang sinumang nagnanais ng ikabubuti ng sarili ay dapat talikuran ang mga gawaing itinuturing ng śāstra na dapat iwasan, at patuloy na gampanan ang mga tungkuling iniutos. Ito ang tapat na payo na ibinibigay ko sa iyo.”
शक्र उवाच
Educational Q&A
One who seeks welfare and prosperity should renounce actions that the śāstra marks as to be avoided and should consistently perform the duties that are prescribed; this is presented as verified by the direct experience of exemplary elders.
Śakra (Indra) speaks as an instructor, grounding his counsel in the precedent of ancient Brahmins who ‘saw and experienced’ the truth of the teaching, and urges adherence to śāstric duty while abandoning prohibited or harmful actions.