Shloka 38
प्रजाविसर्ग-तत्त्वनिर्णयः | Cosmogony of Elemental Emergence
Bharadvāja–Bhṛgu Dialogue
परमात्माके साथ एकता तथा समता, सत्यभाषण, सदाचार, ब्रह्मनिष्ठा, दण्डका परित्याग (अहिंसा), सरलता तथा सब प्रकारके सकाम कर्मोंसे उपरति--इनके समान ब्राह्मणके लिये दूसरा कोई धन नहीं है ।।
paramātmake sārdham ekatā samatā ca, satyabhāṣaṇam, sadācāraḥ, brahmaniṣṭhā, daṇḍaparityāgaḥ (ahiṃsā), saralatā ca sarvaprakārasakāmakarmoparatiś ca—etaiḥ samaṃ brāhmaṇasya dvitīyaṃ dhanaṃ nāsti. kiṃ te dhanair bāndhavair vāpi? kiṃ te? kiṃ te dāraiḥ, brāhmaṇa, yo mariṣyasi? ātmānam anviccha guhāṃ praviṣṭaṃ; pitāmahās te kva gatāḥ pitā ca.
毗湿摩说道：“对婆罗门而言，没有任何财富可与这些相比：与至上我合一而平等，言语真实，品行端正，安住于梵（Brahman），舍弃刑杖——不害（ahimsa），质朴，并从一切由欲望驱使的行为中退隐。财富于你何用？亲族于你何用？妻室与家业于你何用，婆罗门啊，既然你终须一死？当寻那已入心穴之我。试思：你的父亲与祖父们如今去了何处？”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
True ‘wealth’ for a brahmin is inner virtue and realization: unity and equanimity with the Supreme, truthfulness, ethical conduct, steadfastness in Brahman, non-violence, simplicity, and withdrawal from desire-driven actions. External possessions and relationships cannot accompany one at death; therefore one should pursue Self-inquiry and inner realization.
In Shanti Parva, Bhishma instructs on dharma and the path of inner good. Here he addresses a brahmin (as a representative seeker), challenging attachment to wealth, kin, and spouse by reminding him of inevitable death and the fate of ancestors, and urging him to seek the indwelling Self in the ‘cave’ of the heart.