Mahabharata — Shanti Parva, Shloka 26

Śānti-parva 168: Śoka-nivṛtti-buddhi (The Cognition that Reduces Grief) and Piṅgalā’s Nairāśya

Devanagari script

तस्माद्‌ धर्मप्रधानेन साध्यो<र्थ: संयतात्मना । विश्वस्तेषु हि भूतेषु कल्पते सर्वमेव हि

Transliteration

tasmād dharmapradhānena sādhyo 'rthaḥ saṁyatātmanā | viśvastēṣu hi bhūtēṣu kalpatē sarvam eva hi ||

Translation

ଏହେତୁ ସଂଯତାତ୍ମା ପୁରୁଷ ଧର୍ମକୁ ପ୍ରଧାନ କରି ଅର୍ଥ ସାଧନ କରିବା ଉଚିତ—ପ୍ରଥମେ ଧର୍ମାଚରଣ, ପରେ ଧନାର୍ଜନ। କାରଣ ଧର୍ମପରାୟଣ ପୁରୁଷ ଉପରେ ସମସ୍ତ ପ୍ରାଣୀ ବିଶ୍ୱାସ କରନ୍ତି; ଏବଂ ସର୍ବତ୍ର ବିଶ୍ୱାସ ସ୍ଥାପିତ ହେଲେ ତାହାର କାର୍ଯ୍ୟ ସ୍ୱୟଂ ସିଦ୍ଧ ହୁଏ।

Word by Word

• तस्मात्: therefore/from that
• तस्मात्: Apadana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: masculine/neuter, ablative, singular

• धर्मप्रधानेन: by/with one for whom dharma is primary
• धर्मप्रधानेन: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्मप्रधान
• Form: masculine/neuter, instrumental, singular

• साध्यः: to be accomplished/attainable
• साध्यः: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: साध्य
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• अर्थः: wealth/purpose (artha)
• अर्थः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• संयतात्मना: by one of restrained self
• संयतात्मना: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संयतात्मन्
• Form: masculine, instrumental, singular

• विश्वस्तेषु: when (they are) trusting/confident
• विश्वस्तेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विश्वस्त
• Form: masculine/neuter, locative, plural

• हि: indeed/for
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

• भूतेषु: in/among beings
• भूतेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत
• Form: neuter, locative, plural

• कल्पते: is accomplished/comes to pass
• Type: Verb
• Root: कॢप्
• Form: present, ātmanepada, third, singular

• सर्वम्: everything
• सर्वम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun/Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: neuter, nominative/accusative, singular

• एव: certainly/just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• हि: indeed/for
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Artha (wealth and practical success) should be pursued only under the primacy of dharma and with self-restraint; a dharma-centered person naturally gains the trust of all beings, and that trust makes one’s goals easier to accomplish.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana continues a didactic passage in Śānti Parva, emphasizing ethical governance of life: prioritizing dharma, restraining the mind, and explaining how social trust arises from righteousness and leads to success in worldly affairs.