Shloka 72
यक्षने पूछा--मनुष्यकी आत्मा क्या है? इसका दैवकृत सखा कौन है? इसका उपजीवन (जीवनका सहारा) क्या है? और इसका परम आश्रय क्या है? ।।
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca | putra ātmā manuṣyasya bhāryā daivakṛtaḥ sakhā | upajīvanaṃ ca parjanyo dānam asya parāyaṇam ||
យុធិષ્ઠិរ បានមានពាក្យថា៖ «កូនប្រុសគឺជាខ្លួនឯងរបស់មនុស្ស; ភរិយាគឺជាមិត្តរួមដំណើរដែលវាសនាបានកំណត់។ ពពកនាំភ្លៀងគឺជាមធ្យោបាយចិញ្ចឹមជីវិតរបស់គេ ហើយការផ្តល់ទានគឺជាជម្រកខ្ពស់បំផុតរបស់គេ»
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
Human flourishing rests on four supports: continuity and identity through a son (putra as ‘ātmā’), companionship through a wife as fate-ordained partner, material sustenance through rain (the foundation of agrarian life), and the deepest security through dāna—generosity, which is presented as the highest refuge in dharma.
In the Yakṣa-praśna episode of the Vana Parva, Yudhiṣṭhira answers a series of probing questions posed by a Yakṣa. Here he responds by defining what counts as a person’s ‘self,’ companion, livelihood, and ultimate refuge—framing practical life and moral life together.