Shloka 59
श्रवणमहिमा इमं महायुद्धमखं महात्मनो- र्धनंजयस्याधिरथेश्व यः पठेत् । स सम्यगिष्टस्य मखस्य यत् फलं तदाप्रुयात् संश्रवणाच्च भारत
śravaṇamahimā imaṃ mahāyuddhamakhaṃ mahātmano dhanaṃjayasya ādhiratheś ca yaḥ paṭhet | sa samyagiṣṭasya makhasya yat phalaṃ tad āpnuyāt saṃśravaṇāc ca bhārata ||
Sinabi ni Vaiśampāyana: Sinumang bumibigkas—o kahit nakikinig lamang—sa dakilang digmaang ito na inihayag na parang isang handog na ritwal (makha), hinggil sa marangal na si Dhanañjaya (Arjuna) at si Ādhiratha (Karna), ay makakamtan ang mismong bunga ng isang handog na naisagawa nang wasto. Kaya, O Bhārata, ang gantimpala ng disiplinadong ritwal ay nagiging maaabot din sa pamamagitan ng taimtim na pakikinig.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches the phalaśruti principle: reverent recitation or attentive listening to the Mahābhārata’s account of the war—understood as a sacrificial act—confers merit comparable to a properly performed ritual sacrifice, emphasizing accessible spiritual benefit through śravaṇa and pāṭha.
At the close of the episode, Vaiśampāyana states the benefit of hearing/reciting the account of the great battle between Arjuna (Dhanañjaya) and Karna (Ādhiratha), framing the war as a ‘makha’ (sacrifice) and promising the listener/reciter the fruit of a duly completed yajña.