Shloka 2
Aśoka-śāstra: Nārada’s Instruction on the Cessation of Śoka
Grief
जड्घाभ्यां तु वसून् देवानाप्नुयादिति नः श्रुतम् । जानुभ्यां च महाभागान् साध्यान् देवानवाप्रुयात्
jaḍghābhyāṁ tu vasūn devān āpnuyād iti naḥ śrutam | jānubhyāṁ ca mahābhāgān sādhyan devān avāpruyāt ||
ہم نے سنا ہے کہ اگر پران پنڈلیوں کے راستے نکلے تو انسان وَسو دیوتاؤں کو پاتا ہے؛ اور اگر گھٹنوں کے راستے جان دے تو وہ نہایت بختیار سادھْی دیوتاؤں کو حاصل کرتا ہے۔
याज्ञवल्क्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse conveys a traditional mapping between parts of the body and specific divine attainments: merit associated with the thighs is said to lead to the realm/company of the Vasus, and merit associated with the knees to that of the Sādhyas. It reflects a ritual-cosmological symbolism where bodily loci correspond to graded spiritual results.
In Śānti Parva’s didactic setting, the sage Yājñavalkya is presenting received tradition (śruti/smṛti-style teaching) about how particular observances or symbolic associations relate to attaining certain classes of gods, continuing a broader exposition on dharma and the structure of spiritual rewards.