Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 18
Adhyāya 60: Dāna vs. Yajña—Royal Giving, Protection, and Karmic Share
उदवासं वसेद् यस्तु स नराधिपतिर्भवेत् सत्यवादी नरश्रेष्ठ दैवतैः सह मोदते,“जो जलमें निवास करता है वह राजा होता है। नरश्रेष्ठ) सत्यवादी मनुष्य स्वर्गमें देवताओंके साथ आनन्द भोगता है
udavāsaṁ vased yas tu sa narādhipatir bhavet | satyavādī naraśreṣṭha daivataiḥ saha modate ||
Vaiśampāyana nói: “Ai giữ lời thệ nguyện cư trú trong nước sẽ đạt địa vị bậc quân vương. Còn người nói lời chân thật, hỡi bậc tối thượng trong loài người, sẽ hoan lạc trên thiên giới cùng các thần.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse links ethical and ascetic discipline to concrete fruits: severe austerity (dwelling in water) is said to yield worldly eminence (kingship), while truthfulness yields the highest posthumous reward—joy in heaven among the gods.
In Vaiśampāyana’s narration within the Anuśāsana Parva’s instruction on dharma, he states a merit-fruit (phalaśruti) style teaching: specific vows and virtues are praised by describing the exalted results they bring in this world and the next.