Shloka 19

अध्याय ३३१: नारायणकथा-प्रशंसा तथा नारदस्य श्वेतद्वीप-निवृत्ति एवं बदरी-आगमनम् | Chapter 331: Praise of the Nārāyaṇa Narrative; Nārada’s Return from Śvetadvīpa and Arrival at Badarī

Devanagari script

अन्यामन्यां धनावस्थां प्राप्य वैशेषिकीं नसः । अतृप्ता यान्ति विध्वंसं संतोष यान्ति पण्डिता:

Transliteration

anyām anyāṁ dhanāvasthāṁ prāpya vaiśeṣikīṁ naraḥ | atṛptā yānti vidhvaṁsaṁ santoṣaṁ yānti paṇḍitāḥ ||

Translation

Disse Nārada: Mesmo ao alcançar estados de riqueza cada vez mais elevados e extraordinários, as pessoas permanecem insatisfeitas; ainda cobiçando mais, caminham para a ruína. Os sábios, porém, alcançam o contentamento — não caem na sede das riquezas.

Word by Word

• {'anyām anyām': 'again and again

• one after another (successively higher)', 'dhana-avasthām': 'state/condition of wealth

• level of prosperity', 'prāpya': 'having obtained

• after reaching', 'vaiśeṣikīm': 'distinctive, special, exceptional (of a higher kind)', 'naraḥ': 'a man

• people (in general)', 'atṛptāḥ': 'unsatisfied

• unfulfilled', 'yānti': 'go

• come to', 'vidhvaṁsam': 'destruction

• collapse', 'santoṣam': 'contentment

• satisfaction', 'paṇḍitāḥ': 'the wise

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Nārada

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Accumulating higher and higher wealth does not end craving; dissatisfaction leads to downfall, while the wise cultivate santoṣa (contentment) and avoid the destructive cycle of greed.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma and right living, Nārada delivers a moral observation: ordinary people remain restless even after gaining prosperity, whereas paṇḍitas are marked by inner satisfaction rather than endless acquisition.