य आशयेत् पाटयेच् चापि राजन्; सर्वं शरीरं तपसा तप्यमानः ॥
एतेनासौ बाल्यम् अत्येति विद्वान्; मृत्युं तथा रोधयत्य् अन्तकाले ॥
अन्तवन्तः क्षत्रिय ते जयन्ति; लोकाञ् जनाः कर्मणा निर्मितेन ॥
ब्रह्मैव विद्वांस् तेन अभ्येति सर्वं; नान्यः पन्था अयनाय विद्यते ॥
धृतराष्ट्र उवाच
आभाति शुक्लम् इव लोहितम् इव; अथो कृष्णम् अथाञ्जनं काद्रवं वा ॥
तद् ब्राह्मणः पश्यति यो ऽत्र विद्वान्; कथंरूपं तद् अमृतम् अक्षरं पदम् ॥
सनत्सुजात उवाच
नाभाति शुक्लम् इव लोहितम् इव; अथो कृष्णम् आयसम् अर्कवर्णम् ॥
न पृथिव्यां तिष्ठति नान्तरिक्षे; नैतत् समुद्रे सलिलं बिभर्ति ॥
न तारकासु न च विद्युद् आश्रितं; न चाभ्रेषु दृश्यते रूपम् अस्य ॥
न चापि वायौ न च देवतासु; न तच् चन्द्रे दृश्यते नोत सूर्ये ॥
ya āśayet pāṭayec cāpi rājan; sarvaṃ śarīraṃ tapasā tapyamānaḥ ||
etenāsau bālyam atyeti vidvān; mṛtyuṃ tathā rodhayaty antakāle ||
antavantaḥ kṣatriya te jayanti; lokāñ janāḥ karmaṇā nirmitena ||
brahmaiva vidvāṃs tena abhyeti sarvaṃ; nānyaḥ panthā ayanāya vidyate ||
dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca
ābhāti śuklam iva lohitam iva; atho kṛṣṇam athāñjanaṃ kādravaṃ vā ||
tad brāhmaṇaḥ paśyati yo 'tra vidvān; kathaṃrūpaṃ tad amṛtam akṣaraṃ padam ||
sanatsujāta uvāca
nābhāti śuklam iva lohitam iva; atho kṛṣṇam āyasam arkavarṇam ||
na pṛthivyāṃ tiṣṭhati nāntarikṣe; naitat samudre salilaṃ bibharti ||
na tārakāsu na ca vidyud āśritaṃ; na cābhreṣu dṛśyate rūpam asya ||
na cāpi vāyau na ca devatāsu; na tac candre dṛśyate nota sūrye ||
People too have showered wealth upon him from every side; and many come to his abode to practice Brahmacharya. It is through Brahmacharya of this kind that the celestials attained their divinity, and the sages, greatly blessed and possessed of great wisdom, attained the realm of Brahman. It is through this very discipline that the gandharvas and apsaras acquired such personal beauty, and it is through Brahmacharya that the sun rises to make the day. Just as seekers of the philosopher's stone experience great joy upon obtaining the object of their quest, so those mentioned above (the celestials and others), upon completing their Brahmacharya, experience great joy from being able to have whatever they desire. He, O king, who devotes himself to ascetic austerity, gives himself wholly to Brahmacharya, and thereby purifies his body, is truly wise, for through this he becomes like a child (free of all evil passions) and, in the end, triumphs over death. Men, O kshatriya, through their labor, however pure, attain only worlds that are transient; but he who is blessed with Knowledge attains, through that Knowledge, the eternal Brahman. There is no other path (than Knowledge, or the attainment of Brahman) leading to liberation.' Dhritarashtra said: 'You say that the wise perceive the existence of Brahman within their own soul. Tell me, then — is Brahman white, or red, or black, or blue, or purple? Tell me the true form and color of the all-pervading, eternal Brahman.'
d14adf86e44c · published Jul 17, 2026, 4:31:17 AM UTC
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This passage (5.44.16–20) develops the central theme of the Udyoga-parva: the effort toward peace already unfolds against the backdrop of an unavoidable war. Key themes: Krishna, Dhritarashtra. Here dharma reveals itself through speech, the choice of an embassy, faithfulness to one's word, and the responsibility of kings for the consequences of their decisions.