Shloka 25
Dāna-Śreṣṭhatā: On the Superiority of Giving
Maitreya–Vyāsa Exemplum
ईर्ष्यु: परसुखं दृष्टवा अन्यस्य न बुभूषक: । त्रिवर्गहन्ता चान्येषामात्मकामानुवर्तक:
īrṣyuḥ parasukhaṃ dṛṣṭvā anyasya na bubhūṣakaḥ | trivargahantā cānyeṣām ātmākāmānuvartakaḥ ||
Serangga itu berkata: “Apabila aku melihat kebahagiaan orang lain, iri hati bangkit dalam diriku. Aku tidak menginginkan sesiapa pun mencapai kemakmuran. Aku menjadi orang yang menghalang orang lain dalam tiga tujuan hidup—dharma, artha, dan kāma—sedangkan aku hanya menuruti kehendak diriku yang mementingkan diri.”
कीट उवाच
Educational Q&A
Jealousy and self-centered desire lead one to sabotage others’ rightful pursuits (dharma, artha, kāma). Ethical living requires wishing well for others and restraining envy rather than obstructing their good.
The speaker, an insect (कीट), confesses past moral faults: envy at others’ happiness, refusal to tolerate others’ advancement, and actively hindering their life-goals while pursuing only personal cravings—setting up a cautionary moral reflection.