Shloka 23
कालनियमः शोकशमनं च
Kāla as Regulator; Pacification of Grief
अधन: कस्य किं वाच्यो विमुक्त: सर्वश: सुखी । देवस्वमुपगृहीव धनेन न सुखी भवेत्
adhanaḥ kasya kiṁ vācyo vimuktaḥ sarvaśaḥ sukhī | devasvam upagṛhīva dhanena na sukhī bhavet ||
毗湿摩波耶那说：“对无财之人，还能说什么、索取什么呢？他在各方面都得解脱，远离恐惧而安乐而居。纵使夺取诸天之财，也终不能凭财富而得幸福。”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Happiness is not guaranteed by wealth; craving and the burdens of possession breed fear and unrest. Even unethical acquisition—symbolized by taking what belongs to the gods—cannot produce true contentment, whereas freedom from attachment can bring ease.
In Vaiśaṃpāyana’s narration within the Śānti Parva’s moral instruction, a reflective maxim is stated: the poor are difficult to pressure or hold to worldly expectations, and a person unencumbered by possessions may live more fearlessly; wealth, even when gained by wrongdoing, does not ensure happiness.