Shloka 27
Udyoga-parva Adhyāya 71 — Kṣatra-dharma Counsel, Public Legitimacy, and Mobilization
आपदेवास्य मरणात् पुरुषस्य गरीयसी । श्रियो विनाशस्तद्धयस्य निमित्तं धर्मकामयो:,धन-सम्पत्तिका नाश मनुष्यके लिये भारी विपत्ति ही है। वह मृत्युसे भी बढ़कर है, क्योंकि सम्पत्ति ही मनुष्यके धर्म और कामकी सिद्धिका कारण है
āpadaivāsya maraṇāt puruṣasya garīyasī | śriyo vināśas tad hy asya nimittaṃ dharmakāmayoḥ ||
യുധിഷ്ഠിരൻ പറഞ്ഞു— മനുഷ്യനു സമൃദ്ധിയുടെ നാശം മരണത്തേക്കാളും ഭാരമേറിയ ആപത്താണ്; കാരണം ധനസമ്പത്ത് തന്നെയാണ് ധർമ്മവും കാമവും സിദ്ധിപ്പിക്കാൻ ഉപാധി.
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse stresses that material prosperity (śrī/artha) is not valued merely for pleasure, but because it functions as a practical support for living dharma and fulfilling legitimate desires (kāma). Therefore, its loss can feel more devastating than death, since it undermines one’s capacity to act effectively in the world.
In the Udyoga Parva’s pre-war deliberations, Yudhiṣṭhira reflects on the gravity of losing prosperity and resources, framing it as a profound crisis because it obstructs the pursuit of dharma and kāma—concerns central to royal responsibility and household life.