Shloka 55
Adhyāya 287 — Janaka’s Inquiry on Śreyas, Abhayadāna, and Asaṅga
Non-attachment
उपसूष्टेषु दान्तेषु दुराचारेषु साधुषु । अविनीतेषु लुब्धेषु सुमहद् दण्डधारणम्
upasūṣṭeṣu dānteṣu durācāreṣu sādhuṣu | avinīteṣu lubdheṣu sumahad daṇḍadhāraṇam ||
नारद म्हणाले—जिथे संयमी लोकांना छळले जाते, साधुजनांवर दुराचार होतो, आणि अविनीत व लोभी लोकांचा प्रभाव असतो—जिथे अतिशय कठोर दंडाचा प्रघात असतो—अशा देशात अविचाराने राहू नये.
नारद उवाच
Educational Q&A
A person should avoid living unthinkingly under a regime where the good are oppressed and punishment is excessively harsh; ethical discernment is required in choosing one’s place of residence and allegiance.
In Śānti Parva’s discourse on dharma and governance, Nārada describes signs of a disordered polity—where virtue is harmed and greed and indiscipline dominate—and warns against settling there without due consideration.