Shloka 1
Adhyāya 262: Śabda-brahman, Para-brahman, and the Ethics of Tyāga
Kapila–Syūmaraśmi Saṃvāda
(दाक्षिणात्य अधिक पाठका ३ श्लोक मिलाकर कुल ५५३ श्लोक हैं) नि | अत । 3 #ीि त्रिषष्ट्याधिकद्विशततमो< ध्याय: जाजलिको तुलाधारका आत्मयज्ञविषयक धर्मका उपदेश जाजलिरुवाच अयं प्रवर्तितो धर्मस्तुलां धारयता त्वया । स्वर्गद्वारं च वृत्ति च भूतानामवरोत्स्यते
jājaliḥ uvāca | ayaṁ pravartito dharmas tulāṁ dhārayatā tvayā | svargadvāraṁ ca vṛttiṁ ca bhūtānām avarotsyate ||
Jājali berkata: “Dharma yang engkau jalankan sambil memegang neraca timbangan itu—ajaran yang terikat pada menimbang dan berniaga—justru menutup pintu surga dan menghalangi mata pencaharian makhluk hidup.”
तुलाधार उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames a challenge: moral instruction must not become so rigid or self-righteous that it harms society—by ‘closing heaven’ (undermining true merit) and by obstructing the legitimate livelihoods of beings.
In the Jājali–Tulādhāra dialogue, Jājali responds critically to Tulādhāra’s preached dharma, accusing it of being socially disruptive—especially to ordinary economic life symbolized by the merchant’s balance-scale.