Shloka 58
कृतयुगवर्णनम् तथा राजधर्मोपदेशः
Kṛtayuga Description and Instruction on Royal Dharma
हर्तु व्यवसिता राजन् पापाचारसमन्विता: । नैतदस्तीति मनुजा वर्तन्ते निरपत्रपा:,राजन! थोड़ेसे धनका संग्रह हो जानेपर लोग धनाढ्यताके मदसे उन्मत्त हो उठेंगे। यदि किसीने विश्वास करके अपने धनको धरोहरके रूपमें रख दिया तो अधिकांश पापाचारी और निर्लज मनुष्य उस धरोहरको हड़प लेनेकी चेष्टा करेंगे और उससे साफ कह देंगे कि हमारे यहाँ तुम्हारा कुछ भी नहीं है
hartum vyavasitā rājan pāpācāra-samanvitāḥ | na etad astīti manujā vartante nirapatrapāḥ ||
Wika ni Vaiśampāyana: “O Hari, kapag napagpasyahan na nilang agawin iyon—na lubog sa makasalanang gawi—ang mga walang-hiya ay aabot pa sa pagsasabing: ‘Wala naman iyan dito.’ Kaya kapag may munting yaman nang naipon, nalalasing ang tao sa pagmamataas ng kayamanan; at kung may magtiwala at mag-iwan ng ari-arian bilang sangla o pag-iingat, maraming masasama at makakapal ang mukhang susubok na angkinin ang deposito at tahasang itatanggi ang anumang pananagutan.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse warns that pride in wealth can erode dharma: people may become shameless, attempt to seize what was entrusted to them, and even deny the truth outright. It highlights the ethical danger of greed and the collapse of honesty when moral restraint is lost.
Vaiśampāyana addresses the king and describes a social reality: when someone deposits property in trust, many wrongdoers—determined to appropriate it—may brazenly claim, ‘Nothing of yours is here,’ illustrating betrayal of trust and the rise of shameless conduct.