Shloka 24
Adhyāya 270 — Yudhiṣṭhira’s inquiry on saṃnyāsa; Bhīṣma on calculable time, tamas, and karma
Vṛtra–Uśanā exemplum begins
कुण्डधार उवाच नाहं धनानि याचामि ब्राह्म॒णाय धनप्रद
kuṇḍadhāra uvāca | nāhaṃ dhanāni yācāmi brāhmaṇāya dhanaprada | na ca ratnapṛthivīṃ tasmai dātuṃ vā ratnasañcayam | mama tv eṣā matiḥ śreṣṭhā yathā dharmātmā bhavet | dharme buddhir asya satataṃ dharmeṇaiva ca jīvikā | dharmapradhānaṃ jīvitaṃ tad asmai paramānugraham ||
കുണ്ഡധാരൻ പറഞ്ഞു—ഹേ ധനദാതാവായ ദേവാ! ഈ ബ്രാഹ്മണനുവേണ്ടി ഞാൻ ധനം യാചിക്കുന്നില്ല. ഈ ഭക്തനോട് വേറൊരു തരത്തിലുള്ള അനുഗ്രഹം ഉണ്ടാകണമെന്നതാണ് എന്റെ ആഗ്രഹം.
कुण्डधार उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that the highest blessing is not material prosperity but steadfast commitment to dharma—clear moral discernment, a life guided by righteousness, and livelihood earned through ethical means.
Kuṇḍadhāra addresses a ‘wealth-giver’ and refuses to request riches for a brāhmaṇa devotee. Instead, he asks for a deeper boon: that the devotee become dharma-centered in character, thought, and livelihood, treating this as the greatest form of divine favor.