Shloka 37
Śānti-parva 168: Śoka-nivṛtti-buddhi (The Cognition that Reduces Grief) and Piṅgalā’s Nairāśya
नाकामतो ब्राह्मुणा: स्वन्नमर्थान् नाकामतो ददति ब्राह्मणेभ्य: । नाकामतो विविधा लोकचेष्टा तस्मात् काम: प्राक् त्रिवर्गस्य दृष्ट:
nākāmato brāhmaṇāḥ svannam arthān nākāmato dadati brāhmaṇebhyaḥ | nākāmato vividhā lokaceṣṭā tasmāt kāmaḥ prāk trivargasya dṛṣṭaḥ ||
Kung walang kāma, kahit ang mga Brahmin ay hindi kakain ng mainam na pagkain; at kung walang kāma, walang magbibigay ng yaman sa mga Brahmin. Ang sari-saring pagsisikap ng mga nilalang sa daigdig ay hindi sumisibol kung walang kāma. Kaya sa tatlong layunin, ang kāma ang nakikitang nauuna at siyang pangunahing puwersa.
भीमयेन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Desire (kāma) is presented as a primary driver of human and worldly activity: eating, giving, and general striving typically arise from some wish or motive. Hence, in practical life, kāma is seen as preceding and energizing the other aims within the trivarga (dharma–artha–kāma).
In the Śānti Parva’s reflective discourse on conduct and life-goals, Bhīma argues from everyday observation—food, charity, and worldly effort—to claim that desire underlies most actions, and thus occupies a foremost place among the three human aims.