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 ||
ಧರ್ಮಾರ್ಥವಾಗಿ ಧನವನ್ನು ಬಯಸುವವನಿಗೂ ಧನಾಸೆ ಇಲ್ಲದೆ ಇರುವುದೇ ಶ್ರೇಷ್ಠ. ಏಕೆಂದರೆ ಕೆಸರನ್ನು ತೊಟ್ಟು ನಂತರ ತೊಳೆಯುವುದಕ್ಕಿಂತ, ಅದನ್ನು ಸ್ಪರ್ಶಿಸದೇ ಇರುವುದೇ ಮನುಷ್ಯರಿಗೆ ಉತ್ತಮ.
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.