Adhyāya 284: Tapas as a Corrective to Household Attachment
Parāśara’s Instruction
मृतश्न स्वर्गमाप्नोति तिर्यक्षु च न जायते । इत्याह भगवान् व्यास: पराशरसुत: प्रभु:
mṛtaśnaḥ svargam āpnoti tiryakṣu ca na jāyate | ity āha bhagavān vyāsaḥ parāśarasutaḥ prabhuḥ ||
Wika ni Bhīṣma: “Ang sinumang kumakain lamang matapos maghandog (at hindi para sa sarili lamang) ay makakamit ang langit at hindi na isisilang sa mabababang daigdig ng mga hayop. Ganito ang ipinahayag ng kagalang-galang na pantas na si Vyāsa, ang makapangyarihang anak ni Parāśara.”
भीष्म उवाच
Self-restraint and generosity in daily life—especially eating only after making proper offerings and feeding others—creates merit that leads to heavenly attainment and prevents rebirth in lower (animal) existences.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma, Bhīṣma cites an authoritative statement of sage Vyāsa to support a moral rule about food, offering, and the karmic consequences of unselfish conduct.