Shloka 14
धर्मसूक्ष्मे त्यागप्रधान्यविचारः
Subtle Dharma and the Primacy of Renunciation
बहुत-से आर्य पुरुष इन्द्रियोंको उनके विषयोंसे रोककर अविवेकजनित अज्ञानका त्याग करके उत्तरमार्ग (देवयान)-के द्वारा त्यागी पुरुषोंके लोकोमें चले गये ।।
dakṣiṇena tu panthānaṁ yaṁ bhāsvantaṁ pracakṣate | ete kriyavatāṁ lokā ye śmaśānāni bhejire ||
Sinabi ni Yudhiṣṭhira: “Maraming mararangal (Arya) ang pumipigil sa mga pandama mula sa mga bagay na kinahuhumalingan nito, itinatakwil ang kamangmangang bunga ng kawalan ng pag-unawa, at sa pamamagitan ng mas mataas na landas (Devayāna) ay napupunta sa mga daigdig ng mga tumatalikod. Ngunit may landas ding timog na tinatawag nilang ‘maningning’: yaon ang mga daigdig na nakakamit ng mga taong nakatuon sa gawaing ritwal—yaong sa huli’y dumarating sa kaharian ng pook ng pagsusunog ng bangkay (śmaśāna).”
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse contrasts two orientations: renunciants who move beyond ignorance toward higher liberation-oriented realms, and ritualists whose merit leads to limited destinations still marked by mortality—symbolized by the cremation-ground. It cautions that mere ritual action, without inner wisdom, does not culminate in the highest end.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma and the highest good, Yudhiṣṭhira raises a doctrinal contrast of ‘paths’ after death. He points to the southern path associated with ritual action and its finite fruits, setting it against the higher, renunciant trajectory discussed in the surrounding context.