Shloka 29
Śānti-parva 168: Śoka-nivṛtti-buddhi (The Cognition that Reduces Grief) and Piṅgalā’s Nairāśya
भीमयेन उवाच नाकाम: कामयत्यर्थ नाकामो धर्ममिच्छति । नाकाम: कामयानो<स्ति तस्मात् कामो विशिष्यते
Bhīmayena uvāca: nākāmaḥ kāmayaty arthaṃ nākāmo dharmam icchati | nākāmaḥ kāmayāno 'sti tasmāt kāmo viśiṣyate ||
ভীমে ক’লে—ধৰ্মৰাজ! যাৰ মনত কোনো কামনা নাই, সি ন অৰ্থ বিচাৰে, ন ধৰ্ম আচৰণ কৰিবলৈ ইচ্ছা কৰে। কামনাহীন পুৰুষে ভোগো নচায়; সেয়ে ত্ৰিবৰ্গৰ ভিতৰত কামকেই বিশেষ বুলি ধৰা হয়।
भीमयेन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhīma argues that desire (kāma) is the driving force behind human pursuit: without desire, one does not strive for wealth (artha) or even for dharma; hence kāma is presented as the most influential among the three aims.
In the Śānti Parva’s reflective dialogue, Bhīma addresses Dharmarāja (Yudhiṣṭhira) and offers a pragmatic view of human motivation, asserting that desire underlies the pursuit of both material success and moral/religious duty.