Shloka 4
Nakula’s Counsel on Yajña, Dāna, and Tyāga (नकुलोपदेशः—यज्ञदानत्यागविचारः)
अनास्तिकानां भूतानां प्राणदा: पितरश्न ये । तेडपि कर्मव कुर्वन्ति विधिं सम्प्रेक्ष्य पार्थिव,राजन्! आस्तिकताकी बुद्धिसे रहित समस्त प्राणियोंके प्राणदाता पितर भी शास्त्रके विधिवाक्योंपर दृष्टि रखकर कर्म ही करते हैं
anāstikānāṁ bhūtānāṁ prāṇadāḥ pitaraś ca ye | te 'pi karmaiva kurvanti vidhiṁ samprekṣya pārthiva-rājan ||
Wahai Raja, bahkan para Pitṛ—pemberi dan penopang hidup bagi makhluk yang tidak beriman—tetap bertindak hanya setelah menimbang aturan śāstra. Mereka pun menjalankan kewajiban dengan ketetapan itu di hadapan mata.
नकुल उवाच
Educational Q&A
That dharma is grounded in vidhi (scriptural injunction): even exalted beings like the Pitṛs act by considering śāstric rule, so humans too should not abandon prescribed duty on the basis of disbelief or whim.
Nakula addresses the king and argues for disciplined adherence to dharma: he cites the Pitṛs as an example, saying they perform actions only after keeping the scriptural ordinance in view, even in relation to beings lacking faith.