Shloka 24

Śānti-parva 168: Śoka-nivṛtti-buddhi (The Cognition that Reduces Grief) and Piṅgalā’s Nairāśya

Devanagari script

योरर्रथों धर्मेण संयुक्तो धर्मो यश्चार्थसंयुत: । तद्धि त्वामृतसंवादं तस्मादेताौ मताविह,जो धन धर्मसे युक्त हो और जो धर्म धनसे सम्पन्न हो, वह निश्चितरूपसे आपके लिये अमृतके समान होगा, यह हम दोनोंका मत है

Transliteration

yo 'rtho dharmeṇa saṁyukto dharmo yaś cārtha-saṁyutaḥ | tad dhi tvāmṛta-saṁvādaṁ tasmād etau matau iha ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: “That wealth which is joined with dharma, and that dharma which is supported by wealth—this, indeed, will be for you like a nectar-like counsel. Therefore, here this is the settled view held by us both.”

Word by Word

यःwho (he) / that which

अर्थःwealth, purpose

धर्मेणby/with dharma

संयुक्तःjoined, united

धर्मःdharma, righteousness

यःwho (he) / that which

अर्थ-संयुक्तःendowed with wealth

तत्that

हिindeed, surely

त्वाम्you

अमृत-संवादम्nectar-like discourse/teaching

तस्मात्therefore, from that

एतौthese two

मतौopinions, views

इहhere, in this matter

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Artha (wealth and practical power) and dharma (righteous duty) should be mutually integrated: wealth is truly beneficial when acquired and used in accordance with dharma, and dharma is effectively upheld when supported by adequate resources. The verse praises this balanced union as ‘nectar-like’ counsel.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana, as narrator, reports a piece of counsel within the Śānti Parva’s instruction on righteous living and governance. The statement frames a shared conclusion—‘our view’—that the listener should embrace a synthesis of dharma and artha rather than treating them as opposed.