Shloka 7
गृहस्थस्य सदाचारः: शौच, तर্পण, वैश्वदेव, अतिथिधर्म, भोजन-विधि, संध्योपासन, ऋतु-धर्मः
परित्यजेद् अर्थकामौ धर्मपीडाकरौ नृप धर्मम् अप्य् असुखोदर्कं लोकविक्रुष्टम् एव च
parityajed arthakāmau dharmapīḍākarau nṛpa dharmam apy asukhodarkaṃ lokavikruṣṭam eva ca
হে রাজা, যে অর্থ ও কাম ধর্মকে পীড়া দেয়, তা ত্যাগ কর। আর যে তথাকথিত ‘ধর্ম’ শেষ পর্যন্ত দুঃখই আনে এবং সজ্জনসমাজে নিন্দিত, তাকেও পরিত্যাগ কর।
Sage Parāśara (in instruction to Maitreya; framed as counsel applicable to kings/rulers)
FAQs
This verse prioritizes dharma over wealth and pleasure, stating they must be abandoned when they damage moral order—an essential principle of righteous governance.
He allows rejecting even an action labeled as dharma if its consequence is suffering and if it is condemned by the moral consensus of society—implying dharma must be evaluated by its alignment with righteous order and outcomes.
Though Vishnu is not named in the verse, the teaching reflects the Purana’s core view that dharma is grounded in the Supreme order upheld by Vishnu; governance and personal aims must conform to that higher reality.