Shloka 33
Śānti-parva 168: Śoka-nivṛtti-buddhi (The Cognition that Reduces Grief) and Piṅgalā’s Nairāśya
समुद्रं वा विशन्त्यन्ये नरा: कामेन संयुता: । कामो हि विविधाकार: सर्व कामेन संततम्,कामनासे युक्त हुए दूसरे मनुष्य समुद्रमें भी घुस जाते हैं। कामनाके विविध रूप हैं तथा सारा कार्य ही कामनासे व्याप्त है
samudraṃ vā viśantyanye narāḥ kāmena saṃyutāḥ | kāmo hi vividhākāraḥ sarvaṃ kāmena santatam ||
Vom Begehren getrieben, stürzen sich manche Menschen sogar in den Ozean. Denn das Begehren nimmt vielfältige Gestalten an, und alles menschliche Tun ist von ihm durchdrungen und vorangetrieben.
भीमयेन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Desire (kāma) is a powerful, multiform force that can drive people to extreme actions; therefore ethical life requires recognizing how thoroughly desire permeates human undertakings and cultivating restraint and discernment.
In the didactic setting of the Śānti Parva, the speaker (as given here) reflects on the compelling nature of kāma, illustrating it with the image of people, impelled by desire, even entering the ocean—an example meant to show how far craving can push human behavior.