Shloka 32
वणिज: कर्षका गोपा: कारव: शिल्पिनस्तथा । देवकर्मकृतश्लैव युक्ता: कामेन कर्मसु,व्यापारी, किसान, ग्वाले, कारीगर और शिल्पी तथा देवसम्बन्धी कार्य करनेवाले लोग भी कामनासे ही अपने-अपने कर्मोमें लगे रहते हैं
vaṇijaḥ karṣakā gopāḥ kāravāḥ śilpinastathā | devakarmakṛtaś caiva yuktāḥ kāmena karmasu ||
Bhīṣma said: “Merchants, farmers, cowherds, artisans and craftsmen—and even those who perform rites and services connected with the gods—are all set to their respective occupations under the impulse of desire. In the world, activity is commonly driven by want and expectation, and people engage in work seeking the fruits they long for.”
भीमयेन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights that most worldly action—across professions from trade and farming to ritual service—is propelled by kāma (desire for outcomes). It frames desire as a common driver of karma, setting up ethical reflection on whether one should act for fruits or align action with dharma and restraint.
Within Śānti Parva’s instruction on conduct and the springs of human action, Bhīṣma explains to Yudhiṣṭhira that people in many walks of life engage in their duties because of desire. The statement functions as an observation about human motivation in society, supporting a broader discourse on ethics, self-control, and right action.