फलश्रुतिरियं नृणां न श्रेयो रोचनं परम् । श्रेयोविवक्षया प्रोक्तं यथा भैषज्यरोचनम् ॥ २३ ॥
phala-śrutir iyaṁ nṝṇāṁ na śreyo rocanaṁ param śreyo-vivakṣayā proktaṁ yathā bhaiṣajya-rocanam
- phala-śrutiḥ
- the statements of scripture promising rewards
- iyam
- these
- nṝṇām
- for men
- na
- are not
- śreyaḥ
- the highest good
- rocanam
- enticement
- param
- merely
- śreyaḥ
- the ultimate good
- vivakṣayā
- with the idea of saying
- proktam
- spoken
- yathā
- just as
- bhaiṣajya
- for taking medicine
- rocanam
- inducement
Those statements of scripture promising fruitive rewards do not prescribe the ultimate good for men but are merely enticements for executing beneficial religious duties, like promises of candy spoken to induce a child to take beneficial medicine.