Shloka 6
Udyoga-parva Adhyāya 27 — Saṃjaya’s Counsel on Dharma, Desire, and the Non-Perishing of Karma
मनीषिणां सत्त्वविच्छेदनाय विधीयते सत्सु वृत्ति: सदैव । अब्राह्मुणा: सन्ति तु ये न वैद्या: सर्वोत्सड्ूं साधु मन्येत तेभ्य:,मनीषी पुरुषोंको सत्त्व आदिके बन्धनसे मुक्त होनेके लिये सदा ही सत्पुरुषोंका आश्रय लेकर जीवन-निर्वाह करना चाहिये, यह उनके लिये शास्त्रीय विधान है। परंतु जो ब्राह्मण नहीं हैं तथा जिनकी ब्रह्मविद्यामें निष्ठा नहीं है, उन सबके लिये सबके समीप अपने धर्मके अनुसार ही जीविका चलानी चाहिये
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca |
manīṣiṇāṃ sattva-vicchedanāya vidhīyate satsu vṛttiḥ sadaiva |
abrāhmaṇāḥ santi tu ye na vaidyāḥ sarvotsṛṣṭuṃ sādhu manyeta tebhyaḥ ||
Yudhiṣṭhira said: “For the wise, in order to cut through the binding power of one’s dispositions and attachments, the scriptures enjoin a livelihood that is always sustained in dependence upon the good and the virtuous. But those who are not brāhmaṇas, and who are not steadfast in sacred knowledge, should not be taken as the standard in this matter; one should instead maintain oneself according to one’s own rightful duty and station.”
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
A disciplined livelihood aligned with the company of the virtuous is prescribed as a means for the wise to loosen inner bondage; one should not treat those lacking sacred grounding as authoritative models for such conduct, but live according to one’s own dharma.
In the Udyoga Parva’s pre-war deliberations, Yudhiṣṭhira articulates a principle of ethical living: guidance should be taken from truly virtuous and spiritually grounded people, and livelihood should follow dharma rather than mere social imitation.