Shloka 72
Dama-pradhāna-dharma (Self-restraint as the Root of Dharma) — Śānti-parva 154
तपसापि हि संयुक्ता धनवन्तो महाधिय: । सर्वे मृत्युवशं यान्ति तदिदं प्रेतपत्तनम्
tapasāpi hi saṃyuktā dhanavanto mahādhiyāḥ | sarve mṛtyuvaśaṃ yānti tad idaṃ pretapattanam ||
Even those joined to austerity—wealthy and of great intellect—must all pass under the dominion of Death. Such is this city of the departed: the place where every being ultimately arrives.
जम्बुक उवाच
Educational Q&A
No human advantage—wealth, intellect, or even austerity—can exempt one from death. The verse urges humility and detachment, redirecting ethical focus from pride in attainments to right conduct and preparedness for life’s impermanence.
Jambuka speaks reflectively, emphasizing the universality of death. By calling it the 'city of the departed,' he frames death as an inevitable destination for all, reinforcing a didactic point typical of Śānti Parva’s moral and philosophical discourse.