Shloka 5
Ādi Parva, Adhyāya 90 — Pūror Vaṃśa, Kuru-Pravara, and the Janamejaya Line
Genealogical Recitation
अभूद् धनं मे विपुलं गतं तद् विचेष्टमानो नाधिगन्ता तदस्मि । एवं प्रधार्यात्महिते निविष्टो यो वर्तते स विजानाति धीर:,मेरे पास पुण्यरूपी बहुत धन था; किंतु दूसरोंकी निन्दा करनेके कारण वह सब नष्ट हो गया। अब मैं चेष्टा करके भी उसे नहीं पा सकता। मेरी इस दुरवस्थाको समझ-बूझकर जो आत्मकल्याणमें संलग्न रहता है, वही ज्ञानी और वही धीर है
abhūd dhanaṃ me vipulaṃ gataṃ tad viceṣṭamāno nādhigantā tad asmi | evaṃ pradhāryātma-hite niviṣṭo yo vartate sa vijānāti dhīraḥ ||
Jaratkāru disse: “Outrora possuí abundante riqueza — riqueza na forma de mérito —, mas ela me escapou. Embora eu me esforce, já não consigo recuperá-la. Portanto, aquele que reflete sobre minha condição decaída e permanece devotado ao seu verdadeiro bem (o bem do si mesmo) é quem de fato compreende; só ele é firme e sábio.”
जटद्टक उवाच
Educational Q&A
Merit is a real form of ‘wealth’ that can be squandered by unethical speech such as nindā (slander). Seeing the consequences, a wise and steadfast person turns toward ātma-hita—disciplined conduct aimed at genuine spiritual welfare—rather than repeating the same harmful habits.
Jaratkāru speaks in a reflective, admonitory tone, confessing that he once had abundant ‘wealth’ understood as puṇya, but it has been lost and cannot be regained even with effort. He presents his own downfall as a warning-example, urging others to take it to heart and live with steady commitment to self-welfare and dharmic conduct.