Shloka 15
Ahiṃsā as Threefold Restraint (Mind–Speech–Action) and the Ethics of Consumption
तस्माद् धर्म: सहायश्न सेवितव्य: सदा नृभि: । वे कुटुम्बीजन तो उसके शरीरका परित्याग करके चले जाते हैं, किंतु एकमात्र धर्म ही उस जीवात्माका अनुसरण करता है; इसलिये धर्म ही सच्चा सहायक है। अतः मनुष्योंको सदा धर्मका ही सेवन करना चाहिये ।।
tasmād dharmaḥ sahāyaś ca sevitavyaḥ sadā nṛbhiḥ | prāṇī dharmasamāyukto gacchet svargagatiṁ parām ||
ଏହିହେତୁ ମନୁଷ୍ୟମାନେ ସଦା ଧର୍ମକୁ ହିଁ ସେବନ କରିବା ଉଚିତ; କାରଣ ସତ୍ୟ ସହାୟ ଧର୍ମ ଏକା ମାତ୍ର। କୁଟୁମ୍ବୀଜନ ଦେହକୁ ତ୍ୟାଗ କରି ଚାଲିଯାନ୍ତି, କିନ୍ତୁ ଜୀବାତ୍ମାକୁ ଅନୁସରେ ଧର୍ମ ଏକା; ତେଣୁ ଧର୍ମ ହିଁ ସତ୍ୟ ସାଥୀ। ଧର୍ମସମାୟୁକ୍ତ ପ୍ରାଣୀ ପରମ ସ୍ୱର୍ଗଗତିକୁ ପ୍ରାପ୍ତ ହୁଏ।
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
Dharma is the only reliable companion of a person: family and social ties end with the body, but one’s righteous conduct accompanies the self and shapes one’s destiny; therefore Dharma should be practiced continually.
Yudhiṣṭhira is speaking in a didactic context, drawing an ethical conclusion about human life and death: worldly relations fall away at death, while Dharma alone ‘follows’ the individual, leading the righteous toward the highest heavenly course.