Shloka 4
Dāna-Śreṣṭhatā: On the Superiority of Giving
Maitreya–Vyāsa Exemplum
भीष्म उवाच समृद्धौ वासमृद्धौँ वा शुभे वा यदि वाशुभे । संसारेडस्मिन् समायाता: प्राणिन: पृथिवीपते
bhīṣma uvāca
samṛddhau vā asamṛddhau vā śubhe vā yadi vā aśubhe |
saṃsāre 'smin samāyātāḥ prāṇinaḥ pṛthivīpate ||
Bhishma berkata: “Wahai penguasa bumi, makhluk-makhluk yang datang ke putaran dunia ini memandang keadaan mereka—entah makmur atau kekurangan, mujur atau celaka—sebagai ‘kebahagiaan’ yang patut digenggam. Mereka tidak ingin mati. Aku akan menjelaskan sebabnya—dengarkan.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma points to a basic human tendency: beings cling to life in every condition—good or bad—treating their present state as worth holding onto. This sets up an ethical reflection on attachment (āsakti) and the delusion that worldly states themselves constitute true happiness.
In the Anushasana Parva, Yudhisthira questions Bhishma about human conduct and inner motives. Here Bhishma begins an explanation of why living beings do not wish to die, addressing Yudhisthira as ‘lord of the earth’ and introducing a teaching about life in saṃsāra.