Shloka 27
Nakula’s Counsel on Yajña, Dāna, and Tyāga (नकुलोपदेशः—यज्ञदानत्यागविचारः)
कुट॒म्बमास्थिते त्यागं न पश्यामि नराधिप । राजसूयाश्दमेधेषु सर्वमेधेषु वा पुन:,नरेश्वर! जिसपर कुट॒म्बका भार हो, उसके लिये त्यागका विधान नहीं देखनेमें आता है। उसे तो राजसूय, अश्वमेध अथवा सर्वमेध यज्ञोंमें प्रवृत्त होना चाहिये
kūṭambam āsthite tyāgaṁ na paśyāmi narādhipa | rājasūyāśvamedheṣu sarvamedheṣu vā punaḥ ||
Nakula said: “O king, for one who is burdened with the responsibilities of a household, I do not see renunciation as the proper rule. Rather, such a person should engage in great sacrificial duties—like the Rājasūya, the Aśvamedha, or again the Sarvamedha—fulfilling obligation through sanctioned action instead of withdrawal.”
नकुल उवाच
Educational Q&A
Renunciation is not presented as the primary path for someone bound by household responsibilities; instead, dharma is fulfilled through rightful action—especially prescribed public and royal duties such as major sacrifices—so that obligation, social order, and merit are upheld.
Nakula addresses a king (narādhipa), arguing within a broader Shānti Parva discussion on dharma that a householder should not abandon duties for renunciation, but should pursue sanctioned, duty-centered religious action exemplified by great Vedic sacrifices.