Shloka 21
Ārjava, Satya, and the Virocana–Sudhanvan Exemplum
Udyoga-parva 35
प्राप्रोति वै वित्तमसद्वलेन नित्योत्थानात् प्रज्ञया पौरुषेण | न त्वेव सम्यग् लभते प्रशंसां न वृत्तमाप्रोति महाकुलानाम्,मनुष्य दुष्ट पुरुषोंके बलसे, निरन्तरके उद्योगसे, बुद्धिसे तथा पुरुषार्थसे धन भले ही प्राप्त कर ले; परंतु इससे उत्तम कुलीन पुरुषोंके सम्मान और सदाचारको वह पूर्णरूपसे कदापि नहीं प्राप्त कर सकता
prāpnoti vai vittam asad-balena nityotthānāt prajñayā pauruṣeṇa | na tveva samyag labhate praśaṁsāṁ na vṛttam āpnoti mahākulānām ||
The Swan said: A wicked man may indeed acquire wealth—by the strength of the unrighteous, by ceaseless exertion, by clever intelligence, and by sheer personal effort. Yet he does not truly win honorable praise, nor does he attain the refined conduct and moral standing that belong to the truly noble families.
हंस उवाच
Educational Q&A
Wealth can be gained even through dubious power, relentless effort, and cleverness, but genuine honor and the stable virtue associated with true nobility cannot be secured without righteous character.
In the Udyoga Parva’s didactic dialogue, the speaker ‘Haṁsa’ delivers a moral observation: material success is possible for the wicked, but social esteem and authentic good conduct do not follow from wealth alone.