Shloka 13
Adhyāya 159 — Dāna–Dakṣiṇā, Āpaddharma Measures, and Prāyaścitta Classifications
न प्रहृष्पति यो लाभै: कामैर्यश्न न तृप्पति
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 ||
ಭೀಷ್ಮನು ಹೇಳಿದನು—ಲಾಭ ಬಂದರೂ ಹರ್ಷಿಸದವನು, ಇಷ್ಟಭೋಗಗಳಿಂದಲೂ ತೃಪ್ತಿಗೊಳ್ಳದವನು—ಅಂಥ ಲೋಭಿ ಮನುಷ್ಯನು ಅಪಾರ ಲಾಭ ಪಡೆದರೂ ಸಂತೃಪ್ತನಾಗುವುದಿಲ್ಲ; ಭೋಗಗಳಿಂದ ಅವನು ಎಂದಿಗೂ ತೃಪ್ತನಾಗುವುದಿಲ್ಲ. ನರೆಶ್ವರನೇ! ಲೋಭದ ಯಥಾರ್ಥ ಸ್ವರೂಪವನ್ನು ದೇವರುಗಳೂ ಅಲ್ಲ, ಗಂಧರ್ವರೂ ಅಲ್ಲ, ಅಸುರರೂ ಅಲ್ಲ, ಮಹಾನಾಗರೂ ಅಲ್ಲ, ಸಮಸ್ತ ಭೂತಗಣಗಳೂ ಕೂಡ ಸಂಪೂರ್ಣವಾಗಿ ತಿಳಿದಿಲ್ಲ.
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.