Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 16

Adhyāya 60: Dāna vs. Yajña—Royal Giving, Protection, and Karmic Share

Devanagari script

शय्यासनानि यानानि योगयुक्ते तपोधने । अन्निप्रवेशे नियतं ब्रह्मलोके महीयते

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca |

śayyāsanāni yānāni yogayukte tapodhane |

agnipraveśe niyataṁ brahmaloke mahīyate ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana nói: “Với bậc khổ hạnh giàu công phu, kỷ luật trong yoga, sẽ hiện khởi tiện nghi như giường, chỗ ngồi, và cả xe cộ. Và khi một người, theo đúng nghi thức, bước vào ngọn lửa thiêng (như một hạnh nguyện), thì hữu thân ấy được tôn vinh nơi Brahmaloka—được trọng vọng trong thế giới của Phạm Thiên.”

Word by Word

• शय्यासनानि: beds and seats
• शय्यासनानि: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शय्या-आसन
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

• यानानि: vehicles
• यानानि: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: यान
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

• योगयुक्ते: in/for one devoted to yoga
• योगयुक्ते: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: योगयुक्त
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• तपोधने: in/for the ascetic (whose wealth is austerity)
• तपोधने: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपोधन
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• अग्निप्रवेशे: upon/at entering the fire
• अग्निप्रवेशे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्निप्रवेश
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• नियतं: certainly; regularly; with restraint
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नियत

• ब्रह्मलोके: in Brahmaloka
• ब्रह्मलोके: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मलोक
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• महीयते: is honored; is esteemed
• Type: Verb
• Root: महीयते (√मह्/√महि)
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Atmanepada, Passive/Reflexive (honorific sense)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Brahmaloka
• Agni (fire, implied by agnipraveśa)
• śayyā (bed)
• āsana (seat)
• yāna (vehicle)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Disciplined yoga and austerity are presented as sources of both worldly supports (comforts and conveyances) and higher posthumous honor; when a severe act like agnipraveśa is undertaken with proper restraint and rule, it is framed as yielding exalted status in Brahmaloka.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Vaiśampāyana’s narration within the Anuśāsana Parva’s dharma-instructional context, the text lists the fruits of yogic discipline and tapas, culminating in the claim that duly performed agnipraveśa leads to being honored in Brahmā’s realm.