Shloka 19

Devanagari script

अन्यामन्यां धनावस्थां प्राप्य वैशेषिकीं नसः । अतृप्ता यान्ति विध्वंसं संतोष यान्ति पण्डिता:,मनुष्य धनका संग्रह करते-करते पहलेकी अपेक्षा ऊँची धन-सम्पन्न स्थितिको प्राप्त होकर भी कभी तृप्त नहीं होते। वे और अधिककी आशा लिये हुए ही मर जाते है; किंतु विद्वान्‌ पुरुष सदा संतुष्ट रहते हैं (वे धनकी तृष्णामें नहीं पड़ते

Transliteration

anyām anyāṁ dhanāvasthāṁ prāpya vaiśeṣikīṁ naraḥ | atṛptā yānti vidhvaṁsaṁ santoṣaṁ yānti paṇḍitāḥ ||

Translation

Nārada said: Even after attaining ever higher and more exceptional states of wealth, people remain unsatisfied; still craving more, they go to ruin. The wise, however, attain contentment—they do not fall into the thirst for riches.

Word by Word

• {'anyām anyām': 'again and again

• one after another (successively higher)', 'dhana-avasthām': 'state/condition of wealth

• level of prosperity', 'prāpya': 'having obtained

• after reaching', 'vaiśeṣikīm': 'distinctive, special, exceptional (of a higher kind)', 'naraḥ': 'a man

• people (in general)', 'atṛptāḥ': 'unsatisfied

• unfulfilled', 'yānti': 'go

• come to', 'vidhvaṁsam': 'destruction

• collapse', 'santoṣam': 'contentment

• satisfaction', 'paṇḍitāḥ': 'the wise

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Nārada

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Accumulating higher and higher wealth does not end craving; dissatisfaction leads to downfall, while the wise cultivate santoṣa (contentment) and avoid the destructive cycle of greed.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma and right living, Nārada delivers a moral observation: ordinary people remain restless even after gaining prosperity, whereas paṇḍitas are marked by inner satisfaction rather than endless acquisition.