Shloka 3
Jarītā-Śārṅgaka-saṃvādaḥ — The Dialogue of Jaritā and the Śārṅgaka Chicks
Fire-escape deliberation
स समं धर्मकामार्थान् सिषेवे भरतर्षभ । त्रीनिवात्मसमान् बन्धून् नीतिमानिव मानयन्
sa samaṃ dharmakāmārthān siṣeve bharatarṣabha | trīn ivātmasamān bandhūn nītimān iva mānayan ||
Vaiśampāyana berkata: “Wahai banteng keturunan Bharata, baginda menempuh dharma, artha dan kāma dengan seimbang. Seperti insan yang arif dalam tata negara, baginda memuliakan ketiga-tiganya seolah-olah kerabat yang dikasihi, setara dengan dirinya—menikmatinya dengan adil dan berhemah, bukan dengan berlebihan.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse commends a balanced life: dharma (righteousness), artha (material and political welfare), and kāma (legitimate enjoyment) should be pursued without letting any one dominate. True nīti is to honor all three in proper measure under the guidance of dharma.
Vaiśampāyana describes the character and conduct of the king (understood here as Yudhiṣṭhira): he governs and lives with even-handedness, treating the three aims of life as intimate companions—neither rejecting worldly aims nor indulging them recklessly.