Shloka 9
महोदर-वाक्यं कुम्भकर्ण-प्रतिषेधः
Mahodara’s Counsel and the Critique of Kumbhakarna’s Solo Assault
ऐहलौकिकपारक्यंकर्मपुम्भिर्निषेव्यते ।कर्माण्यपितुकल्यानिलभतेकाममास्थितः ।।।।
aihalaukikapārakyaṃ karma pumbhir niṣevyate | karmāṇy api tu kalyāṇi labhate kāmam āsthitaḥ ||
Manusia melakukan perbuatan demi ganjaran di dunia ini dan di alam sana; namun orang yang teguh hanya pada nafsu keinginan, walau melakukan amalan yang tampak baik, akhirnya memperoleh manfaat yang sekadar menyenangkan pada rupa, bukan kebaikan tertinggi yang berakar pada dharma.
" All beings reap the fruit of their actions in this world as well as in other worlds. He, who remains to be pleasure seeking, devoted to actions will receive blessings and attain pleasures in this life only (not here after)."
FAQs
It warns that desire-driven action is spiritually limited; dharma-oriented action alone leads beyond immediate gratification toward lasting welfare (niḥśreyasa).
The speaker critiques motivations behind conduct—particularly the pursuit of pleasure as a guiding principle in a crisis of state and war.
Self-restraint (dama): subordinating kāma to dharma so that action becomes elevating rather than merely rewarding.