Shloka 54
Āśrama-dharma: Duties of the Four Life-Stages (आश्रमधर्मः)
न हि यज्ञसमं किज्वचित् त्रिषु लोकेषु विद्यते । तस्माद् यष्टव्यमित्याहु: पुरुषेणानसूयता । श्रद्धापवित्रमाश्रित्य यथाशक्ति यथेच्छया
na hi yajñasamaṃ kiñcic triṣu lokeṣu vidyate | tasmād yaṣṭavyam ity āhuḥ puruṣeṇān-asūyatā | śraddhāpavitram āśritya yathāśakti yathecchayā ||
Sinabi ni Bhishma: “Sa tatlong daigdig, walang anumang kapantay ng yajña. Kaya ipinahahayag ng mga marurunong na ang tao ay dapat magsagawa ng yajña—malaya sa paghahanap ng mali at sa inggit—umaasa sa nagpapadalisay na lakas ng pananampalataya, at isinasagawa ito ayon sa sariling kakayahan at sa piniling layon.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Yajña is upheld as supremely valuable in the moral-religious order; one should perform it without envy or fault-finding, grounded in faith, and in a manner proportionate to one’s means and chosen intention.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma, Bhishma advises Yudhishthira by praising yajña and prescribing the proper inner attitude (non-envy, faith) and practical measure (according to capacity) for its performance.