Shloka 55
Adhyāya 287 — Janaka’s Inquiry on Śreyas, Abhayadāna, and Asaṅga
Non-attachment
उपसूष्टेषु दान्तेषु दुराचारेषु साधुषु । अविनीतेषु लुब्धेषु सुमहद् दण्डधारणम्
upasūṣṭeṣu dānteṣu durācāreṣu sādhuṣu | avinīteṣu lubdheṣu sumahad daṇḍadhāraṇam ||
नारद ने कहा—जहाँ जितेन्द्रिय पुरुषों को सताया जाता हो, साधुओं पर अत्याचार होता हो, और अविनीती तथा लोभी लोग बढ़ते हों—जहाँ अत्यन्त कठोर दण्ड का प्रचलन हो—ऐसे देश में बिना विचार किए नहीं रहना चाहिए।
नारद उवाच
Educational Q&A
A person should avoid living unthinkingly under a regime where the good are oppressed and punishment is excessively harsh; ethical discernment is required in choosing one’s place of residence and allegiance.
In Śānti Parva’s discourse on dharma and governance, Nārada describes signs of a disordered polity—where virtue is harmed and greed and indiscipline dominate—and warns against settling there without due consideration.