Shloka 13
Adhyāya 159 — Dāna–Dakṣiṇā, Āpaddharma Measures, and Prāyaścitta Classifications
न प्रहृष्पति यो लाभै: कामैर्यश्न न तृप्पति,लोभी मनुष्य बहुत-सा लाभ पाकर भी संतुष्ट नहीं होता। भोगोंसे वह कभी तृप्त नहीं होता। नरेश्वर! न देवताओं, न गन्धर्वों, न असुरों, न बड़े-बड़े नागों और न सम्पूर्ण भूतगणोंद्वारा ही लोभका स्वरूप यथार्थ-रूपसे जाना जाता है
na prahṛṣyati yo lābhaiḥ kāmair yaś ca na tṛpyati | lobhī manuṣyaḥ bahu-sā lābhaṃ prāpya api na saṃtuṣyati | bhogaiḥ sa kadācid api na tṛpyati | nareśvara! na devatābhiḥ, na gandharvaiḥ, na asuraiḥ, na mahā-nāgaiḥ, na ca samastaiḥ bhūta-gaṇaiḥ lobhasya svarūpaṃ yathārtha-rūpeṇa jñāyate ||
ビーシュマは言った。「利得が来ても喜ばず、望むものによっても決して満たされぬ者——その貪る人は、多くの利益を得てもなお不満のままである。快楽によって真に飽くことはない。人の王よ、貪欲の真の姿は、ありのままには尽く知られていない——神々にも、ガンダルヴァにも、アスラにも、大いなるナーガにも、さらにはあらゆる生類にさえも。」
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Greed is intrinsically insatiable: even abundant gain and repeated enjoyment do not produce contentment. Therefore, ethical life and inner peace require restraint of desire and cultivation of satisfaction (saṃtoṣa), rather than chasing ever-increasing acquisition.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction to the king (Yudhiṣṭhira), Bhishma continues his discourse on dharma and right conduct. Here he warns the ruler about the psychological and moral danger of lobha, emphasizing that its true nature is subtle and difficult to grasp—even for exalted classes of beings—so a king must be especially vigilant.