Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 38

Pratyakṣa–Āgama–Ācāra: Doubt, Proof, and the Practice of Dharma (प्रत्यक्ष–आगम–आचारविचारः)

Devanagari script

श्रीमहेश्वर उवाच उपवासतव्रतैर्दान्ता हाहिंस्रा: सत्यवादिन: । संसिद्धा: प्रेत्य गन्धर्वै: सह मोदन्त्यनामया:

Transliteration

śrīmaheśvara uvāca: upavāsata-vrataiḥ dāntā ahiṃsrāḥ satyavādinaḥ | saṃsiddhāḥ pretya gandharvaiḥ saha modanty anāmayāḥ ||

Translation

圣大自在天（Śrī Maheśvara）说道：“那些以斋戒誓行而得圆满者——自制、无害、言语真实——既已成就，死后便在无病无忧之境欢喜，与乾闼婆同住。”

Word by Word

• {'śrīmaheśvara uvāca': 'Śrī Maheśvara said', 'upavāsa': 'fasting

• religious abstinence', 'vrata': 'vow

• disciplined observance', 'upavāsata-vrataiḥ': 'by/through vows consisting of fasting', 'dānta': 'self-controlled

• sense-restrained', 'ahiṃsra (ahiṃsā)': 'non-violent

• abstaining from harm', 'satyavādin': 'truth-speaker

• one who speaks truth', 'saṃsiddha': 'fully accomplished

• perfected (in practice)', 'pretya': 'after death

• having departed this life', 'gandharva': 'celestial musician

• a class of heavenly beings', 'saha': 'together with', 'modanti': 'they rejoice

• they delight', 'anāmaya': 'free from disease

Speaker

श्रीमहेश्वर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Śrī Maheśvara
• Gandharvas

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Ethical discipline—fasting as a vow, self-control, non-violence, and truthfulness—leads to spiritual perfection and a blessed posthumous state characterized by freedom from affliction and joyful heavenly companionship.

What is happening in the narrative?

Maheśvara is describing the फल (result) of certain dharmic observances: those who practice fasting-vows with restraint, ahiṃsā, and satya are said to attain a heavenly enjoyment after death among the Gandharvas, without disease or sorrow.