Shloka 22
Nakula’s Counsel on Yajña, Dāna, and Tyāga (नकुलोपदेशः—यज्ञदानत्यागविचारः)
गृहस्थाश्रमिणस्तच्च यज्ञकर्म विरोधकम् | तस्माद् गार्हस्थ्यमेवेह दुष्करं दुर्लभ तथा
gṛhasthāśramiṇas tac ca yajñakarma virodhakam | tasmād gārhasthyam eveha duṣkaraṃ durlabhaṃ tathā ||
गृहस्थासाठी हे यज्ञकर्म मर्यादेचे बंधन ठरून त्याला संयमात ठेवते; म्हणून या जगात गार्हस्थ्यधर्माचे पालन करणे खरोखरच दुष्कर आणि दुर्लभ आहे.
नकुल उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse emphasizes that gārhasthya (householder life) is not merely comfort and family life; it is bound by yajña-karma and other duties that restrain personal freedom. Precisely because it demands sustained discipline and responsibility, it is considered difficult and rare to fulfill properly.
Nakula is speaking within the Shānti Parva’s dharma-discourse, reflecting on the āśrama system. He highlights the demanding nature of the householder stage, where ritual and social obligations regulate one’s conduct and make the path challenging.