Shloka 12
Nakula’s Counsel on Yajña, Dāna, and Tyāga (नकुलोपदेशः—यज्ञदानत्यागविचारः)
आश्रमांस्तुलया सर्वान् धृतानाहुर्मनीषिण: । एकततश्च त्रयो राजन् गृहस्थाश्रम एकत:
āśramāṁs tulayā sarvān dhṛtān āhur manīṣiṇaḥ | ekataś ca trayo rājan gṛhasthāśrama ekataḥ ||
قال ناكولا: «أيها الملك، يعلن الحكماء أنّه في زمنٍ ما وُضِعت جميع الآشرمات على ميزان التمييز (viveka) فَوُزِنَت: فكان في كفّةٍ الآشرمات الثلاث الأخرى مجتمعة، وفي الكفّة الأخرى آشرم ربّ البيت وحده.»
नकुल उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse elevates the gṛhastha (householder) āśrama as foundational: when the four life-orders are evaluated, the householder’s role—supporting society, ritual, charity, and the other āśramas—can outweigh the combined merit of the remaining three.
Nakula addresses a king and offers counsel framed as a traditional maxim: sages once ‘weighed’ the āśramas and found the householder order uniquely weighty. The statement functions as encouragement toward responsible worldly duty rather than withdrawal.