Shloka 13
Ahiṃsā as Threefold Restraint (Mind–Speech–Action) and the Ethics of Consumption
ज्ञातिसम्बन्धिवर्गक्ष मित्रवर्गस्तथैव च । पिता, माता, भाई, पुत्र, गुरु, जाति, सम्बन्धी तथा मित्रवर्ग--ये कोई भी उसके सहायक नहीं होते ।। मृतं शरीरमुत्सज्य काष्ठलोष्टसमं जना:
Yudhiṣṭhira uvāca:
Jñāti-sambandhi-vargaś ca mitra-vargas tathaiva ca |
Pitā mātā bhrātā putro guruḥ jātiḥ sambandhī tathā mitra-vargaḥ—ete ke 'pi tasya sahāyakā na bhavanti ||
Mṛtaṃ śarīram utsṛjya kāṣṭha-loṣṭa-samaṃ janāḥ ...
Yudhiṣṭhira dit : «Ni le cercle des parents et des proches, ni celui des amis, ne devient un véritable appui. Père, mère, frère, fils, maître, clan, relations et amis—aucun ne peut accompagner ni sauver un homme à l’instant décisif. Quand la vie s’en est allée, les gens abandonnent le corps, le traitant comme un simple morceau de bois ou une motte de terre.»
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
At the final boundary of life, social supports—family, clan, and friends—cannot accompany or ultimately protect a person; therefore one should cultivate dharma and inner steadiness rather than relying on worldly ties.
Yudhiṣṭhira reflects on the limits of human relationships in the face of death, emphasizing that once life is gone people leave the body behind as something inert, underscoring impermanence and the need for ethical, spiritual preparation.