Shloka 5
अज्ञान–लोभयोः परस्परहेतुत्वम्
Mutual Causality of Ignorance and Greed
जनमेजय! तुम जो दीपकालसे भक्ष्य-भोज्य आदि पदार्थोंका परित्याग करके तपस्यामें लगे हुए हो, यह पापसे अभिभूत हुए मनुष्योंके लिये अद्भुत बात है ।।
Janamejaya! tvaṁ yo dīpakālāt bhakṣya-bhojyādi-padārthān parityajya tapasyāyāṁ lagnaḥ, etat pāpābhibhūtānāṁ manuṣyāṇāṁ adbhutaṁ bhavati. Yo durlabho bhaved dātā kṛpaṇo vā tapodhanaḥ; anāścaryaṁ tad ity āhur nātidūreṇa vartate. Yadi dhana-sampannaḥ puruṣo dānī syāt, evaṁ kṛpaṇo vā daridro manuṣyas tapasyā-dhano bhavet, tad āścaryam iti na manyante; yato ’sya dāna-tapaḥ-sampannatvaṁ nātyantaṁ duṣkaram.
商那迦对阇那美阇耶王说道：“阇那美阇耶啊！你投身苦行，舍弃饮食与珍馐，甚至在灯火晚食之时亦能断绝——此于为罪业所压的人们，实为奇事。然而人们又说：若富者成为施主，或吝者、贫者在苦行中积聚‘苦行之财’，也未必算真正惊异；因为对富足者而言，布施并非遥不可及；对匮乏者而言，持戒修苦行亦非远在天边。”
शौनक उवाच
Educational Q&A
Moral excellence is judged against one’s inner condition: for those dominated by sin, renunciation and austerity appear astonishing; yet generosity is more natural for the wealthy and austerity can be more accessible to the poor, so such achievements are not inherently miraculous but depend on disposition and practice.
Śaunaka addresses King Janamejaya, praising his current ascetic restraint (renouncing food pleasures) while reflecting on how society perceives virtue—calling some acts ‘wonders’ and explaining why certain virtues may be easier for certain people based on their circumstances.