Shloka 6

Vasiṣṭha on Saṃsāra, Guṇas, and Misattributed Agency

Mahābhārata 12.292

Devanagari script

धर्म चाहनेवाले पुरुषको क्रूरकर्मके द्वारा धनका उपार्जन नहीं करना चाहिये। अपनी शक्तिके अनुसार समस्त शुभ कर्म करे। धन बढ़ानेकी चिन्तामें न पड़े ।।

Transliteration

dharmaṃ cāhanenavāle puruṣaḥ krūrakarmabhiḥ dhanasyopārjanaṃ na kuryāt | svaśaktyā samastāni śubhāni karmāṇi kuryāt | dhanavṛddhicintāyāṃ na patet || apo hi prayataḥ śītās tāpitā jvalanena vā | śaktito ’tithaye dattvā kṣudhārtāyāśnute phalam ||

Translation

Parāśara dạy rằng: người cầu dharma không nên kiếm của cải bằng những hành vi tàn bạo hay gây hại. Trái lại, hãy làm mọi việc lành theo đúng khả năng và đừng để lòng bị thiêu đốt bởi nỗi lo tăng thêm giàu sang. Vì ai—xét theo mùa tiết—trong phạm vi mình có thể, với tâm ý thanh tịnh, dâng nước mát hoặc nước được hâm bằng lửa, cùng thức ăn, cho vị khách đang khát và đói, người ấy sẽ đạt công đức thù thắng.

Word by Word

• āpaḥ: waters; water
• āpaḥ: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ap (prātipadika: ap-)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• hi: indeed; for
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi

• prayatāḥ: careful; prepared; purified
• prayatāḥ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prayata (prātipadika: prayata-)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• śītāḥ: cold
• śītāḥ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śīta (prātipadika: śīta-)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• tāpitāḥ: heated; warmed
• tāpitāḥ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tap (dhātu) → tāpita (PPP)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• jvalanena: by fire; by flame
• jvalanena: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: jvalana (prātipadika: jvalana-)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• vā: or
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā

• śaktitaḥ: according to one's ability
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: śakti (prātipadika: śakti-)

• atithaye: to a guest
• atithaye: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: atithi (prātipadika: atithi-)
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• dattvā: having given
• Type: Verb
• Root: dā (dhātu) → dattvā (absolutive)
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund)

• kṣudhārtāya: to one afflicted by hunger
• kṣudhārtāya: Sampradana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṣudhā-ārta (prātipadika: kṣudhārtá-)
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• aśnute: obtains; enjoys
• Type: Verb
• Root: aś (dhātu)
• Form: Present, 3rd, Singular, Ātmanepada

• phalam: fruit; result
• phalam: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: phala (prātipadika: phala-)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

पराशर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Parāśara
• atithi (guest)
• water (cool or heated)
• fire

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Wealth should not be pursued through harmful or cruel means; one should do good deeds within one’s capacity and practice simple, sincere hospitality—such as offering season-appropriate water and food to a hungry, thirsty guest—which yields great merit.

What is happening in the narrative?

Parāśara is instructing on dharma in the Śānti Parva, emphasizing ethical livelihood and the religious-ethical value of caring for guests through modest acts of giving.