Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 446

उपवासफलात्मकविधिः — Upavāsa as Yajña-Equivalent Merit

Angiras Teaching

Devanagari script

चत्वारिंशत्‌ सहस््राणि वर्षाणां दिवि मोदते । वह चक्रवाकोंद्वारा वहन किये हुए विमानसे स्वर्गलोकमें जाता है और वहाँ चालीस हजार वर्षोतक आनन्द भोगता है

Transliteration

catvāriṁśat sahasrāṇi varṣāṇāṁ divi modate |

Translation

安吉罗娑说道：“他在天界欢悦四万年。”就其语境而言，此偈强调善业之果：依正法而行，并施行所规定的布施与奉事，能招致长久的天上安乐，作为教导达摩时的伦理劝勉。

Word by Word

• चत्वारिंशत्: forty
• चत्वारिंशत्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: चत्वारिंशत्
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• सहस्राणि: thousands
• सहस्राणि: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्र
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

• वर्षाणाम्: of years
• वर्षाणाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ष
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• दिवि: in heaven
• दिवि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिव्
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Singular

• मोदते: rejoices/enjoys
• मोदते: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुद्
• Form: Present, Indicative, Atmanepada, Third, Singular

Speaker

अंगियरा उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Aṅgiras
• heaven (divi)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse conveys the doctrine of karma-phala: a specific righteous or meritorious act yields a definite reward, here expressed as prolonged enjoyment in heaven, encouraging adherence to dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Aṅgiras is describing the result of a prior meritorious deed, stating that the beneficiary attains heaven and enjoys there for forty thousand years.