Shloka 2
माधवी-प्रदानम् (Mādhavī Offered to Gālava) — Udyoga Parva 113
धत्ते धारयते चेदमेतस्मात् कारणाद् धनम् । तदेतत् त्रिषु लोकेषु धनं तिष्ठति शाश्वतम्,“वह इस जगत्को स्वयं तो धारण करता ही है, दूसरोंसे भी धारण कराता है। इस कारण उस सुवर्णका नाम धन, है। यह धन तीनों लोकोंमें सदा स्थित रहता है
dhatte dhārayate cedam etasmāt kāraṇād dhanam | tad etat triṣu lokeṣu dhanaṁ tiṣṭhati śāśvatam ||
Nārada disse: “Ele sustenta e também faz com que outros sustentem; por essa razão é chamado ‘dhana’ (riqueza). Essa riqueza—o ouro—permanece perpetuamente nos três mundos.”
नारद उवाच
Educational Q&A
Wealth is defined not merely by possession but by its function: it ‘supports’ and enables support. The verse frames dhana (especially gold) as valuable because it sustains life and social duties, and thus is regarded as enduring across the three worlds.
Nārada is speaking and explains the term dhana through word-derivation: because it upholds and makes others uphold, it is called dhana. He then asserts its lasting presence/importance across the tri-loka, emphasizing its recognized, enduring value.