Shloka 28
आत्मदर्शन-उपदेशः (Ātma-darśana Upadeśa) — Mind, Senses, and the All-pervading Self
तप: परं कृतयुगे त्रेतायां ज्ञानमुत्तमम् । द्वापरे यज्ञमेवाहुर्दानमेक॑ कलौ युगे
tapaḥ paraṁ kṛtayuge tretāyāṁ jñānam uttamam | dvāpare yajñam evāhur dānam ekaṁ kalau yuge ||
毗耶娑阐明：随各劫之性情不同，最上之修持亦随之转变——在俱利多（真）劫，苦行与自制为至上；在特雷塔劫，真知被赞为最高；在堕婆罗劫，祭祀（yajña）被宣为主要之道；而在迦利劫，布施（dāna）——以正法之心而施——被教为最胜且几乎唯一的行持。此偈表明：法之旨趣一而不二，然其方法须随众生能力与时代境况而权宜调适。
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches yuga-dharma: while the goal of dharma remains constant, the most effective or emphasized practice differs by age—tapas in Kṛta, jñāna in Tretā, yajña in Dvāpara, and dāna in Kali—reflecting changing human capacity and social conditions.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on righteous living and social order, Vyāsa states a traditional classification of the principal religious practice for each yuga, guiding listeners toward an appropriate path for their time—especially highlighting charity as the accessible excellence in Kali Yuga.