Shloka 25
अज्ञान–लोभयोः परस्परहेतुत्वम्
Mutual Causality of Ignorance and Greed
कल्याणमनुकर्तव्यं पुरुषेण बुभूषता । ये सुगन्धीनि सेवन्ते तथागन्धा भवन्ति ते
kalyāṇam anukartavyaṃ puruṣeṇa bubhūṣatā | ye sugandhīni sevante tathāgandhā bhavanti te ||
シャウナカは言った。真の安寧を求める者は、吉祥にして益ある行いを修すべきである。香しきものに交わる者は香を帯び、同じく、穢れた悪臭に常に触れる者はその臭気を身に負い、また世に広める。これは交わりの道徳法則を示す。善き人に近づき健やかな行いを養えば性格は磨かれ、穢れに執すれば本性は堕する。
शौनक उवाच
Educational Q&A
One should deliberately practice what is kalyāṇa (wholesome and auspicious). A person becomes like what they repeatedly associate with—good company and pure habits refine one’s nature, while impure associations degrade it.
In the didactic setting of the Śānti Parva, Śaunaka delivers a moral instruction using a simple analogy of fragrance: contact and habitual ‘consumption’ shape a person’s qualities and reputation.