Shloka 8

Devanagari script

स जानन्नपि चाकार्यमर्थार्थ सेवते नर: । बालस्नेहपरीतात्मा तत्क्षयाच्चानुतप्यते,यद्यपि मनुष्य जानता है कि अमुक काम करना पाप है, तो भी वह धनके लिये उसका सेवन करता है। बाल-बच्चोंके स्नेहमें उसका मन डूबा रहता है और उनमेंसे जब कोई मर जाता है तब उनके लिये वह बारंबार संतप्त होता है

Transliteration

sa jānann api cākāryam arthārtha sevate naraḥ | bāla-sneha-parītātmā tat-kṣayāc cānutapyate ||

Translation

मनुष्याला माहीत असते की अमुक कर्म अयोग्य आहे, तरीही धनासाठी तो ते करतो. त्याचे मन बालस्नेहाने व्यापलेले असते; आणि ते नष्ट झाले की तो त्यांच्यासाठी पुन्हा पुन्हा शोक करतो.

Word by Word

सःhe

जानन्knowing

अपिeven/also

चand

अकार्यंa forbidden act / wrong deed

अर्थार्थम्for the sake of wealth

सेवतेpractises/indulges in

नरःa man

बालस्नेहपरीतात्माwhose mind is overwhelmed by affection for children

तत्from that

क्षयात्from loss/destruction (death)

चand

अनुतप्यतेgrieves/repents

Speaker

पराशर उवाच

Characters & Entities

Parāśara

naraḥ (a man)

bāla (children)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Knowing right and wrong is not enough: greed for wealth can drive a person to improper actions, and attachment to family—especially children—binds the mind, leading to recurring grief when loss inevitably comes. The verse points toward self-restraint and detachment as supports for dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Parāśara is describing a common human pattern: despite moral awareness, people commit wrong for material gain, remain absorbed in affection for their children, and then suffer repeated sorrow when those loved ones die.