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Shloka 57

Svargārohaṇa-parva Adhyāya 5 — Karmaphala-Nirdeśa and Phalāśruti (कर्मफलनिर्देशः फलश्रुतिश्च)

इतिहासमिमं पुण्यं महार्थ वेदसम्मितम्‌ । व्यासोक्तं श्रूयते येन कृत्वा ब्राह्मणमग्रत:

itihāsam imaṁ puṇyaṁ mahārtha-veda-sammitam | vyāsoktaṁ śrūyate yena kṛtvā brāhmaṇam agrataḥ ||

Vaiśampāyana nói: Ai lắng nghe thiên sử thi thanh tịnh này—ý nghĩa thâm sâu, uy quyền sánh với Veda—do Vyāsa trước tác và tuyên thuyết, sau khi tôn đặt các Brāhmaṇa ở hàng đầu (kính trọng và nghe trong sự hiện diện của họ), người ấy ở đời này được mọi hưởng thụ như ý và danh tiếng cao quý, rồi cuối cùng đạt đến sự viên mãn tối thượng.

इतिहासम्history/itihasa
इतिहासम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootइतिहास
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
इमम्this
इमम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootइदम्
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
पुण्यम्holy/meritorious
पुण्यम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootपुण्य
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
महार्थम्of great meaning
महार्थम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootमहार्थ
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
वेदसम्मितम्equal to the Veda/commensurate with the Veda
वेदसम्मितम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootवेदसम्मित
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
व्यासोक्तम्spoken/composed by Vyasa
व्यासोक्तम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootव्यासोक्त
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
श्रूयतेis heard/is recited
श्रूयते:
TypeVerb
Rootश्रु
FormPresent, Atmanepada (Passive), Third, Singular
येनby whom/through whom
येन:
Karana
TypePronoun
Rootयद्
FormMasculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular
कृत्वाhaving done/making
कृत्वा:
TypeVerb
Rootकृ
FormAbsolutive (Gerund), Parasmaipada/General
ब्राह्मणम्a Brahmin
ब्राह्मणम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootब्राह्मण
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
अग्रतःin front/at the head
अग्रतः:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअग्रतः

वैशम्पायन उवाच

V
Vaiśampāyana
V
Vyāsa
B
Brāhmaṇas
I
Itihāsa (Mahābhārata)

Educational Q&A

The verse teaches that reverent listening to the Mahābhārata—treated as a sacred, Veda-like source of dharma—yields both worldly well-being (desired enjoyments and good fame) and the highest spiritual attainment, especially when done with proper respect for Brahmins and ritual propriety.

At the close of the epic (Svargārohaṇa context), Vaiśampāyana delivers a phalaśruti: a concluding assurance about the merit and transformative power of hearing this Vyāsa-composed sacred history, emphasizing its authority and the proper manner of reception.