Shloka 53
कृतयुगवर्णनम् तथा राजधर्मोपदेशः
Kṛtayuga Description and Instruction on Royal Dharma
भूयिष्ठं कूटमानैश्व पण्यं विक्रीणते जना: । वणिजकश्न नरव्यात्र बहुमाया भवन्त्युत
bhūyiṣṭhaṃ kūṭamānaiś ca paṇyaṃ vikrīṇate janāḥ | vaṇijaś ca naraśreṣṭha bahumāyā bhavanty uta ||
اُس زمانے میں لوگ زیادہ تر جھوٹے باٹ اور پیمانوں سے مال بیچیں گے۔ اے نرِ برتر! تاجر بھی طرح طرح کی چالاکیوں اور فریب میں ماہر—دھوکے باز—ہو جائیں گے۔
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that honest trade is part of dharma, and that using false weights, measures, and deceptive practices is adharma. It portrays widespread commercial fraud as a symptom of ethical degeneration in society.
Vaiśampāyana is describing conditions of a deteriorating age: ordinary people and merchants alike will increasingly rely on dishonest weights and cunning tricks to sell goods, indicating a broader collapse of moral standards.