Shloka 7
गृहस्थस्य सदाचारः: शौच, तर্পण, वैश्वदेव, अतिथिधर्म, भोजन-विधि, संध्योपासन, ऋतु-धर्मः
परित्यजेद् अर्थकामौ धर्मपीडाकरौ नृप धर्मम् अप्य् असुखोदर्कं लोकविक्रुष्टम् एव च
parityajed arthakāmau dharmapīḍākarau nṛpa dharmam apy asukhodarkaṃ lokavikruṣṭam eva ca
O king, renounce wealth and pleasure when they oppress dharma; and even a so‑called “duty” must be abandoned if it ripens only into suffering and is condemned by the righteous voice of the world.
Sage Parāśara (in instruction to Maitreya; framed as counsel applicable to kings/rulers)
Speaker: Parasara
Topic: Rāja-dharma: when to renounce artha/kāma, and how to reject pseudo-dharma condemned by the righteous
Teaching: Ethical
Quality: corrective and discerning
Concept: Artha and kāma must be abandoned when they injure dharma, and even actions labeled ‘dharma’ should be rejected if they produce suffering and are censured by the righteous.
Vedantic Theme: Dharma
Application: Do not justify harmful choices as ‘duty’; evaluate outcomes and the ethical consensus of the wise before acting.
Vishishtadvaita: Affirms dharma as the Lord’s normative order, not mere social pretext; ‘true dharma’ is that which sustains beings under His governance.
FAQs
This verse prioritizes dharma over wealth and pleasure, stating they must be abandoned when they damage moral order—an essential principle of righteous governance.
He allows rejecting even an action labeled as dharma if its consequence is suffering and if it is condemned by the moral consensus of society—implying dharma must be evaluated by its alignment with righteous order and outcomes.
Though Vishnu is not named in the verse, the teaching reflects the Purana’s core view that dharma is grounded in the Supreme order upheld by Vishnu; governance and personal aims must conform to that higher reality.