Shloka 20
परिक्षिद्वृत्तान्तप्रश्नः
Inquiry into Parīkṣit’s Conduct and the Beginnings of His Downfall
तेन सम तपसो लोभात् कृच्छुमापादिता वयम् । न तस्य भार्या पुत्रो वा बान्धवो वास्ति कश्चन,उसने तपस्याके लोभसे हमें संकटमें डाल दिया है। उसके न पत्नी है, न पुत्र और न कोई भाई-बन्धु ही है
tena sama tapaso lobhāt kṛcchram āpāditā vayam | na tasya bhāryā putro vā bāndhavo vāsti kaścana ||
بسبب جشعه إلى قوة الزهد والتقشّف، ساقنا إلى الشدّة والضيق. لا زوجة له ولا ابن، ولا قريب له البتّة—فلا رابطة تكفّه، ولا صلة تُلزمه أن يراعي عواقب أفعاله.
तक्षक उवाच
Educational Q&A
Austerity (tapas) becomes ethically dangerous when driven by greed; lacking family and social bonds can remove ordinary restraints, increasing the risk of harmful, unchecked action.
Takṣaka complains that an ascetic, motivated by greed for the fruits of tapas, has put them in peril, and notes that the ascetic has no wife, son, or relatives—implying he is harder to deter or negotiate with.