Shloka 9
Śīla-prāpti and Śīla-lakṣaṇa (शीलप्राप्ति-शीललक्षणम्) | On the Acquisition and Marks of Character
अर्थार्थमन्यद् भवति विपरीतमथापरम् । अनर्थार्थमवाप्यार्थमन्यत्राद्योपकारकम् | बुद्धयाबुद्धिरिहार्थे न तदज्ञाननिकृष्टया
bhīṣma uvāca | arthārtham anyad bhavati viparītam athāparam | anarthārtham avāpya artham anyatrādyopakārakam | buddhyā abuddhir iha arthe na tad ajñāna-nikṛṣṭayā |
Bhishma berkata: “Dalam mengejar kekayaan, suatu jalan kadang-kadang membawa kepada harta, sedangkan jalan lain—walaupun diniatkan untuk keuntungan—boleh menghasilkan akibat yang berlawanan. Ada kalanya, setelah memperoleh kekayaan pun, seseorang berpaling kepada perbuatan yang merosakkan dan membawa kebinasaan; dan ada kalanya pula, sarana lain yang berbeza daripada kekayaan itu sendiri menjadi penolong kepada dharma. Maka hubungan ‘dharma melahirkan kekayaan, dan kekayaan menyokong dharma’ itu halus; orang bodoh yang terpedaya oleh kefahaman rendah yang lahir daripada kejahilan tidak menaruh kepercayaan padanya—lalu gagal meraih buah kedua-duanya.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma teaches that the link between wealth (artha) and righteousness (dharma) is complex: actions aimed at gain can backfire, and even gained wealth can lead to ruin if it fuels harmful conduct. Only clear discernment recognizes that dharma can generate stable prosperity and that prosperity, rightly used, can support dharma.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on right conduct and statecraft, Bhishma continues advising Yudhishthira by analyzing how pursuits of wealth can produce mixed outcomes, warning against ignorance-driven judgments that separate dharma and artha or treat them simplistically.