Shloka 49
ब्राह्मणानुयात्रा—शौनकोपदेशः
Brāhmaṇas Follow into Exile and Śaunaka’s Instruction
धर्मार्थ यस्य वित्तेहा वरं तस्य निरीहता । प्रक्षालनाद्धि पंकस्य श्रेयो न स्पर्शन॑ नृणाम्,'जो धर्म करनेके लिये धनोपार्जनकी इच्छा करता है उसका धनकी इच्छा न करना ही अच्छा है। कीचड़ लगाकर धोनेकी अपेक्षा मनुष्योंके लिये उसका स्पर्श न करना ही श्रेष्ठ है
dharmārtha yasya vitteha varaṃ tasya nirīhatā | prakṣālanāddhi paṅkasya śreyo na sparśanaṃ nṛṇām ||
Bagi orang yang mencari harta demi dharma sekalipun, lebih baik ia tanpa hasrat akan harta. Sebab bagi manusia, lebih utama tidak menyentuh lumpur sama sekali daripada mengotorinya lalu mencucinya.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even when wealth is sought with the stated aim of supporting dharma, the safer and higher course is freedom from the craving for wealth; avoiding moral contamination is better than entering it and later trying to cleanse oneself.
In Vaiśampāyana’s narration, a moral maxim is stated using a vivid analogy: like mud that is best avoided rather than washed off after contact, the desire for wealth is portrayed as a defiling touch best not entertained, even under righteous pretexts.