Shloka 43
मोक्षो वा परमं श्रेय एष राजन् सुखार्थिनाम् | प्राप्तिवा बुद्धिमास्थाय सोपायां कुरुनन्दन,“कुरुनन्दन! निरतिशय सुखकी इच्छा रखनेवाले मुमुक्षुओंके लिये यह मोक्ष ही परम कल्याणप्रद है। राजन! इसी प्रकार लौकिक सुखकी इच्छावालोंके लिये धर्म, अर्थ, कामरूप त्रिवर्गकी प्राप्ति ही परम श्रेय है। अतः महाराज! भक्ति और योगसहित ज्ञानका आश्रय लेकर आप शीघ्र ही या तो मोक्षकी प्राप्ति कर लीजिये अथवा धर्म, अर्थ, कामरूप त्रिवर्गकी प्राप्तिके उपायका अवलम्बन कीजिये। जो इन दोनोंके बीचमें रहता है, उसका जीवन तो आर्त मनुष्यके समान दुःखमय ही है
vaiśampāyana uvāca |
mokṣo vā paramaṃ śreya eṣa rājan sukhārthinām |
prāptir vā buddhim āsthāya sopāyāṃ kurunandana ||
Vaiśampāyana said: “O King, for those who seek the highest, unsurpassed happiness, liberation (mokṣa) is the supreme good. Or else, O joy of the Kurus, by taking up right understanding together with its practical means, one should pursue the attainable goals. For a person who remains suspended between these two—neither firmly seeking liberation nor steadily pursuing worldly aims—life becomes sorrowful, like that of one afflicted and distressed.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
One should choose a clear life-aim: either pursue mokṣa as the highest good for those seeking ultimate happiness, or pursue attainable worldly goals through right understanding and proper means. Remaining indecisive between liberation and worldly pursuit leads to a life of distress.
Vaiśampāyana addresses a Kuru king/prince, presenting a counsel on human aims: liberation is supreme for the spiritually inclined, while worldly attainments require disciplined intelligence and method. The passage warns against wavering between the two paths.