Shloka 1
Vasiṣṭha on Saṃsāra, Guṇas, and Misattributed Agency
Mahābhārata 12.292
अपना बा | अर द्विनवत्यथधिकद्विशततमो< ध्याय: पराशरगीता--धर्मो पार्जित धनकी श्रेष्ठता
parāśara uvāca | kaḥ kasya copakurute kaś ca kasmai prayacchati | prāṇī karoty ayaṃ karma sarvam ātmārtham ātmanā ||
Parāśara disse: “Ó rei, quem de fato beneficia a quem, e quem realmente dá a quem? Este ser vivo realiza toda ação por seu próprio interesse, por si mesmo.”
पराशर उवाच
Educational Q&A
Parāśara challenges the ordinary notion of altruism by pointing out that embodied beings typically act from self-regard; recognizing this helps one examine motives and orient action toward dharma rather than ego-driven gain.
In Śānti Parva, Parāśara addresses a king and opens a didactic discourse by posing rhetorical questions about giving and helping, framing the discussion around the inner motives behind human action.