Shloka 8
Vidyā–Avidyā and the Twenty-Fifth Principle
Sāṃkhya–Yoga Clarification
स जानन्नपि चाकार्यमर्थार्थ सेवते नर: । बालस्नेहपरीतात्मा तत्क्षयाच्चानुतप्यते
sa jānann api cākāryam arthārtha sevate naraḥ | bāla-sneha-parītātmā tat-kṣayāc cānutapyate ||
纵然明知某事不当，世人仍为财利而趋之。其心为对儿女之爱执所淹没；及至他们亡逝，便屡屡为之哀恸不已。
पराशर उवाच
Educational Q&A
Knowing right and wrong is not enough: greed for wealth can drive a person to improper actions, and attachment to family—especially children—binds the mind, leading to recurring grief when loss inevitably comes. The verse points toward self-restraint and detachment as supports for dharma.
Parāśara is describing a common human pattern: despite moral awareness, people commit wrong for material gain, remain absorbed in affection for their children, and then suffer repeated sorrow when those loved ones die.