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Atmānusāsana
आत्मानुशासन
The wealth of even good men is not particularly increased by pious money; spates in rivers are never caused by pure water.
स धर्मो यत्र नाधर्मस्तत्सुखं यत्र नासुखम् । तज्ज्ञानं यत्र नाज्ञानं सा गतिर्यत्र नागतिः ॥४६॥
अर्थ - धर्म वह है जिसके होने पर अधर्म न हो, सुख वह है जिसके होने पर दु:ख न हो, ज्ञान वह है जिसके होने पर अज्ञान न रहे, तथा गति वह है जिसके होने पर आगमन न हो।
Dharma (right conduct) is that where there is no adharma (wrong conduct); happiness is that where there is no misery; knowledge is that where there is no ignorance; and 'gati' or state-of-existence is that where there is no coming back to the world.
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Read along with the previous verse, this verse shatters the point-ofview that considers wealth as the vehicle to acquire dharma, happiness, knowledge and pious state-of-existence. Since wealth cannot be acquired by pious means only, it can never lead one to the right conduct. Similarly, such wealth cannot be a source of happiness that has no traces of misery. The knowledge that knows directly the whole world is true knowledge; it cannot be got through wealth. And, the fifth state-of-existence - liberation or moksa - is the only desirable state-of-existence. That too cannot be got through wealth.
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