Shloka 46
Adhyāya 270 — Yudhiṣṭhira’s inquiry on saṃnyāsa; Bhīṣma on calculable time, tamas, and karma
Vṛtra–Uśanā exemplum begins
कुण्डधार बोला--ब्रह्मन! तुमने बड़े भक्तिभावसे मेरी पूजा की थी। इसपर भी यदि तुम धन पाकर दुःख ही भोगते रहते तो मेरे द्वारा तुम्हारा क्या उपकार हुआ होता और तुम्हारे ऊपर मेरा कौन-सा अनुग्रह सिद्ध हो सकता था ।।
Kuṇḍadhāra uvāca—brāhmaṇa! tvayā mahābhaktyā mama pūjā kṛtā. tathāpi yadi tvaṁ dhanaṁ prāpya duḥkham eva anubhavetaḥ, tarhi mayā tava ko ’pakāraḥ kṛtaḥ syāt, tava ca mayi kaḥ anugrahaḥ siddhaḥ syāt? paśya paśya ca bhūyas tvaṁ—kāmān icchet kathaṁ naraḥ? svargadvāraṁ hi saṁruddhaṁ mānuṣeṣu viśeṣataḥ (ye dhana-bhoga-āsaktāḥ).
俱ṇḍadhāra说道：“婆罗门啊，你曾以深切的信敬供奉于我。可若你得了财富之后仍只受忧苦，那么我的赐予于你有何裨益？我的哪一种恩泽又能说真正成就于你？看吧——再看一遍，再次省察世人的境况。见闻至此，人又怎还能贪恋诸欲之乐？凡执著于财物与享受者——尤其在人间——天界之门，几乎如同为其关闭。”
कुण्डधार उवाच
Educational Q&A
Devotion and divine favor are meant to lead to inner welfare, not to deepen bondage. Attachment to wealth and pleasures tends to produce suffering and obstruct higher spiritual attainment; therefore one should cultivate detachment and reflect on the human condition before chasing sense-enjoyments.
Kuṇḍadhāra addresses a brāhmaṇa who had worshipped him devotedly. He explains that granting wealth would be pointless if it only results in continued misery, and he urges the listener to observe worldly life and recognize that craving pleasures—especially when one is attached to riches—closes the ‘gate of heaven’ (i.e., blocks higher good).