Shloka 11
Adhyāya 159 — Dāna–Dakṣiṇā, Āpaddharma Measures, and Prāyaścitta Classifications
साहसानां च सर्वेषामकार्याणां क्रियास्तथा । पराये धनका अपहरण
bhīṣma uvāca | sāhasānāṃ ca sarveṣām akaryāṇāṃ kriyās tathā | parāye dhanaka-apaharaṇam, parāyī-strīṣu prati balātkāraḥ, vāg-vegaḥ, mano-vegaḥ, nindāyāḥ viśeṣa-pravṛttiḥ, jananendriya-vegaḥ, udara-vegaḥ, mṛtyoḥ bhayaṅkara-vegaḥ (ātmahatyā), īrṣyāyāḥ prabala-vegaḥ, mithyāyāḥ durjaya-vegaḥ, anivārya-rasanendriya-vegaḥ, duḥsaha-śrotrendriya-vegaḥ, ghṛṇā, sva-praśaṃsāyai baḍha-baḍhakar vākya-racanā, matsaratā, pāpam, duṣkara-karmeṣu pravṛttiḥ, na kartavyaṃ karma kartum—etad sarvaṃ lobha-hetukam || jātau bālye ca kaumāre yauvana cāpi mānavāḥ nityaṃ gambhīra-toyābhir āpagābhir ivodadhiḥ | kuruśreṣṭha! janma-kāle bālye kaumāre yauvana-sthāyāṃ ca yena hetunā manuṣyāḥ sva-duṣkarmāṇi tyaktum na śaknuvanti, yo vṛddhe ’pi na jīryati, sa eva lobhaḥ | yathā gambhīra-toyā bahvyo nadyaḥ samāgatā api sāgaraṃ na pūrayanti, tathā bahu-dravya-lābhe ’pi lobhasya udaraṃ kadācid na pūryate |
毗湿摩说道：“一切鲁莽之举，一切不当为之行，皆由贪欲而生。因贪欲，便夺取他人财物，侵犯他人妻室；又为言语与心念之暴烈冲动所驱使，尤易陷于诽谤。因贪欲，便被欲乐与腹欲所推；又被那可怖的趋死之势（自毁其身）所席卷；被强烈的嫉妒所牵引；为难以战胜的虚妄之力所制；为舌之贪馋与耳之无厌所迫；遂堕入憎恨，为求自誉而夸夸其谈，变得刻薄而妒忌，转向罪恶，奔入艰难与禁戒之业——诚然，贪欲乃此一切之根由。 噫，俱卢之最胜者！自出生以至童年、少年与壮年，正是贪欲使人不能舍弃其恶行；即便年老，亦不衰减。正如大海纵有众多深河注入，仍不见盈满；同样，无论得利多少，贪欲之腹永不知足。”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Greed (lobha) is presented as the root cause behind a wide spectrum of unethical and self-destructive behaviors—violence, theft, sexual violation, slander, lying, envy, spite, and compulsive indulgence. It is portrayed as inherently insatiable, never satisfied by increased gain.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction section, Bhishma addresses Yudhiṣṭhira (called ‘best of the Kurus’) and explains the moral danger of greed. He lists the impulses and crimes it generates and reinforces the point with a simile: like the ocean that is not filled by many rivers, greed is not filled by many acquisitions.