Shloka 40
Śānti-parva 168: Śoka-nivṛtti-buddhi (The Cognition that Reduces Grief) and Piṅgalā’s Nairāśya
धर्मार्थकामा: सममेव सेव्या यो होकभक्त: स नरो जघन्य: । तयोस्तु दाक्ष्यं प्रवदन्ति मध्य॑ स उत्तमो यो5भिरतस्त्रिवर्गे
dharmārthakāmāḥ samam eva sevyā yo hy ekabhaktaḥ sa naro jaghanyaḥ | tayos tu dākṣyaṁ pravadanti madhyaḥ sa uttamo yo 'bhiratas trivarge ||
“A meu ver, dharma, artha e kāma devem ser buscados juntos, no devido equilíbrio. Quem se devota apenas a um deles é tido como o mais baixo; quem é hábil em perseguir dois é chamado mediano; mas aquele que se empenha igualmente nos três fins da vida é considerado o melhor.”
भीमयेन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Human excellence lies in a balanced pursuit of the three aims—dharma (right conduct), artha (material well-being), and kāma (legitimate enjoyment). Exclusive fixation on only one aim is criticized as inferior; competence in two is middling; equal engagement with all three is praised as best.
In the didactic setting of the Śānti Parva, Bhīma articulates a practical ethical standard for living after the war: rather than extreme renunciation or single-goal obsession, one should integrate duty, prosperity, and desire in proper proportion.