Mahabharata — Svargarohana Parva, Shloka 52
Svargārohaṇa-parva Adhyāya 5 — Karmaphala-Nirdeśa and Phalāśruti (कर्मफलनिर्देशः फलश्रुतिश्च)
स्वर्गकामो लभेत् स्वर्ग जयकामो लभेज्जयम् | गर्भिणी लभते पुत्र कन््यां वा बहुभागिनीम्
svargakāmo labhet svargaṁ jayakāmo labhej jayam | garbhiṇī labhate putraṁ kanyāṁ vā bahubhāginīm ||
Sinabi ni Vaiśampāyana: “Ang naghahangad ng langit ay makakamit ang langit; ang naghahangad ng tagumpay ay makakamit ang tagumpay. Gayundin, ang buntis, sa pakikinig (o pagbigkas) ng Mahābhārata, ay magkakamit ng isang karapat-dapat na anak na lalaki—o kung hindi man, isang anak na babaeng hitik sa malaking kapalaran.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches a phalaśruti principle: devoted hearing/recitation of the Mahābhārata is a meritorious act whose fruits correspond to the listener’s intention—heaven for one seeking heaven, victory for one seeking victory, and auspicious progeny for a pregnant woman—thereby emphasizing faith, right aspiration, and the ethical power attributed to sacred narrative.
In the concluding section of the epic (Svargārohaṇa), Vaiśampāyana offers a traditional benedictory statement describing the benefits of listening to or reciting the Mahābhārata, presenting it as spiritually efficacious and auspicious for different aims.