Shloka 16
अश्वमेध-उपदेशः तथा मरुत्त-यज्ञ-धन-प्रसङ्गः
Counsel on Aśvamedha and the Marutta-treasure episode
दुर्योधनेन पृथिवी क्षयिता वित्तकारणात् । कोशश्चापि विशीर्णोडसौ धार्तराष्ट्रस्य दुर्मते:,दुर्योधनने धनके लोभसे समस्त भूमण्डलका संहार कराया; किन्तु धन मिलना तो दूर रहा, उस दुर्बुद्धिका अपना खजाना भी खाली हो गया
duryodhanena pṛthivī kṣayitā vittakāraṇāt | kośaś cāpi viśīrṇo 'sau dhārtarāṣṭrasya durmateḥ ||
Dijo Yudhiṣṭhira: «Por ansia de riqueza, Duryodhana llevó la tierra a la ruina; y, sin embargo, lejos de obtener tesoros, el propio erario de aquel hijo de Dhṛtarāṣṭra, de mente perversa, quedó quebrado y vacío. Así, la codicia que destruye a otros termina por destruir al codicioso.»
युधिषछ्िर उवाच
Educational Q&A
Greed for wealth (lobha) leads to adharma and widespread ruin, and ultimately rebounds upon the greedy person himself—destroying even what he sought to gain.
Yudhiṣṭhira reflects on the cause and outcome of the great conflict: Duryodhana’s wealth-driven ambition devastated the realm, yet he failed to secure lasting gain and ended with his own resources and power exhausted.