Shloka 25
यज्ञाय सृष्टानि धनानि धात्रा यज्ञाय सृष्ट: पुरुषो रक्षिता च । तस्मात् सर्व यज्ञ एवोपयोज्यं धनं न कामाय हित॑ प्रशस्तम्,“विधाताने यज्ञके लिये ही धनकी सृष्टि की है और यज्ञके लिये उसकी रक्षा करनेके निमित्त पुरुषको उत्पन्न किया है; इसलिये सारे धनका यज्ञ-कार्यमें ही उपयोग करना चाहिये। भोगके लिये धनका उपयोग न तो हितकर है और न उत्तम ही
yajñāya sṛṣṭāni dhanāni dhātrā yajñāya sṛṣṭaḥ puruṣo rakṣitā ca | tasmāt sarvaṁ yajña evopayojyaṁ dhanaṁ na kāmāya hitaṁ praśastam ||
Vaiśampāyana said: The Creator brought wealth into being for the sake of sacrifice, and for the sake of sacrifice He also brought forth the human being as its guardian. Therefore, all wealth should be employed in sacrificial and sacred duties; using wealth merely for pleasure is neither truly beneficial nor commendable.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Wealth is presented as divinely intended for yajña—i.e., sacred duty, offering, and welfare-oriented action—rather than for private indulgence; ethical use of resources is measured by dharmic purpose, not by pleasure.
In the didactic discourse of the Śānti Parva, Vaiśampāyana reports a teaching that frames human life as stewardship: the Creator makes wealth and appoints humans as its protectors so that it may be directed toward sacrificial and righteous works.