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Shloka 23

कालनियमः शोकशमनं च

Kāla as Regulator; Pacification of Grief

अधन: कस्य किं वाच्यो विमुक्त: सर्वश: सुखी । देवस्वमुपगृहीव धनेन न सुखी भवेत्‌

adhanaḥ kasya kiṁ vācyo vimuktaḥ sarvaśaḥ sukhī | devasvam upagṛhīva dhanena na sukhī bhavet ||

قال فايشَمبايانا: «ماذا يُقال لرجل لا مال له، أو ماذا يُطالَب به؟ إنه متحرر من كل خوف، فيعيش سعيدًا. وحتى لو استولى المرء على ما يخص الآلهة، فلن يصير سعيدًا بالمال.»

अधनःpoor, without wealth
अधनः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootअधन
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
कस्यof whom? / for whom?
कस्य:
TypePronoun
Rootकिम्
FormMasculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular
किम्what?
किम्:
Karma
TypePronoun
Rootकिम्
FormNeuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular
वाच्यःto be spoken/called; speakable
वाच्यः:
TypeAdjective
Rootवाच्य
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular, gerundive (potential passive participle) from √वच्
विमुक्तःfreed, released
विमुक्तः:
TypeAdjective
Rootविमुक्त
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular, past passive participle from √मुच् with vi-
सर्वशःentirely, in every way
सर्वशः:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootसर्वशस्
सुखीhappy
सुखी:
TypeAdjective
Rootसुखिन्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
देवस्वम्property of the gods (temple/holy property)
देवस्वम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootदेवस्व
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
उपगृह्यhaving taken/appropriated
उपगृह्य:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootउपगृह्य
Formabsolutive (gerund) from √ग्रह् with upa-
धनेनby/with wealth
धनेन:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootधन
FormNeuter, Instrumental, Singular
not
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
सुखीhappy
सुखी:
TypeAdjective
Rootसुखिन्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
भवेत्would be / could become
भवेत्:
TypeVerb
Root√भू
FormOptative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

वैशम्पायन उवाच

V
Vaiśaṃpāyana
D
devasva (property of the gods)

Educational Q&A

Happiness is not guaranteed by wealth; craving and the burdens of possession breed fear and unrest. Even unethical acquisition—symbolized by taking what belongs to the gods—cannot produce true contentment, whereas freedom from attachment can bring ease.

In Vaiśaṃpāyana’s narration within the Śānti Parva’s moral instruction, a reflective maxim is stated: the poor are difficult to pressure or hold to worldly expectations, and a person unencumbered by possessions may live more fearlessly; wealth, even when gained by wrongdoing, does not ensure happiness.