Shloka 7
अध्याय २९४ — योगलक्षणम् तथा सांख्यपरिसंख्यानम्
Yoga Definition and Sāṃkhya Enumeration
रंगमंचपर स्त्री आदिके वेषमें उतरकर नाचना या खेल दिखाना
raṅgamañcapar strī-ādike veṣaṃ utkarṣya nācanaṃ vā khelaṃ darśanaṃ, bahurūpiyasya karma, madirā-māṃsa-vikrayeṇa jīvikā, tathā loha-carma-vikrayaḥ—ete sarve karmāṇi loke ninditāni manyante. yasya gṛhe pūrva-paramparayā etāni karmāṇi na pravṛttāni syuḥ, sa svayaṃ tāny ārabheta na. yasya tu kule pūrvata eva eṣā prathā vartate, so 'pi yadi tāni tyajet, mahān dharma iti śāstra-niścayaḥ. saṃsiddhaḥ puruṣo loke yadācarati pāpakam, madena abhipluta-manās tac ca na grāhyam anukaraṇīyam ucyate.
रङ्गमञ्चे स्त्रीवेषादिवेषेण नर्तनं क्रीडनं वा, बहुरूप्यकर्म, मद्यमांसविक्रयः, लोहचर्मविक्रयश्च—एते सर्वे लोके निन्दिताः । येषां गृहेषु न पूर्वपरम्परया प्रवृत्तिः, तैर्नारम्भणीयाः; येषु तु प्रथा, तैरपि त्यागः कृतो महान् धर्म इति शास्त्रनिर्णयः । संसिद्धः पुरुषो लोके यदाचरति पापकम्, मदेनाभिप्लुतमनास्तच्च न ग्राह्यमनुकरणाय ॥
पराशर उवाच
Educational Q&A
Certain livelihoods are socially censured; one should not newly adopt such work if it is not part of one’s inherited household practice, and even if it is traditional, giving it up is praised as a higher dharma. Additionally, the misdeeds of eminent people—done from pride or greed—must not be treated as examples to follow.
In Śānti Parva’s instruction setting, Parāśara delivers a normative ethical guideline: he lists occupations considered blameworthy, advises restraint and reform (especially abandoning such practices), and warns against copying the immoral behavior of socially prominent individuals.