Shloka 11
अध्याय १५२: लोभः पापस्य मूलम् — Greed as the Root of Wrongdoing
प्रज्ञाप्रासादमारुह्दु अशोच्य शोचते जनात् । जगतीस्थानिवाद्रिस्थ: प्रज्ञया प्रतिपत्स्यति
prajñāprāsādam āruhya aśocyaḥ śocate janāt | jagatīsthān ivādristhaḥ prajñayā pratipatsyati ||
Having ascended the lofty palace of wisdom, one who is himself free from grief nevertheless grieves for those who grieve. By the power of discernment he comprehends the whole situation, just as a man standing on a mountain peak can clearly see the people dwelling on the surrounding plain below.
शौनक उवाच
Educational Q&A
True wisdom gives a higher vantage point: the wise person is inwardly free from personal sorrow, yet can feel compassionate concern for others’ suffering, and can judge situations clearly without being overwhelmed.
In the didactic flow of the Śānti Parva, Śaunaka frames a teaching through a vivid simile: the knower, elevated by prajñā, sees the world’s conditions as plainly as one on a mountain sees those on the plain—indicating clarity, perspective, and compassionate oversight.