Shloka 48

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

Devanagari script

न कर्मणा55प्रोत्यनवाप्यमर्थ यद्भावि तद्वै भवतीति वित्त । त्रिवर्गहीनो5पि हि विन्दते<र्थ तस्मादहो लोकहिताय गुहाम्‌

Transliteration

na karmaṇā prāptum anavāpyam arthaṃ yad bhāvi tad vai bhavatīti vitta | trivarga-hīno 'pi hi vindate 'rthaṃ tasmād aho loka-hitāya guhām ||

Translation

Yudhiṣṭhira said: “No gain can be secured by mere effort if it is not meant to be attained; what is destined to occur indeed comes to pass—know this as certain. Even one who lacks the three aims of life may still obtain wealth; therefore, alas, for the welfare of the world, this truth lies hidden (like a cave), difficult for people to recognize.”

Word by Word

नnot

कर्मणाby action; through deeds

प्राप्यतेis obtained

अनवाप्यम्unobtainable; not to be attained

अर्थम्wealth; object; purpose

यत्whatever (that which)

भाविdestined to happen; future

तत्that

वैindeed

भवतिhappens; becomes

इतिthus (quotative)

वित्तknow (you); understand

त्रिवर्गहीनःdevoid of the three aims (dharma-artha-kama)

अपिeven; also

हिindeed; for

विन्दतेfinds; obtains

अर्थम्wealth; object

तस्मात्therefore; from that

अहोah! (exclamation)

लोकहितायfor the welfare of the world

गुहाम्cave; hiding-place

Speaker

युधिछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

Yudhiṣṭhira

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Geographic Context

Sandhi Notes