Shloka 10
आपद्धर्मनिर्णयः — विश्वामित्र-श्वपचसंवादः
Apaddharma Determination: Dialogue of Viśvāmitra and the Śvapaca
एतद् वै सर्वकृत्यानां परं कृत्यं परंतप । नैतस्य कश्रिद् वक्तास्ति श्रोता वापि सुदुर्लभ:
etad vai sarvakṛtyānāṃ paraṃ kṛtyaṃ parantapa | naitasya kaścid vaktāsti śrotā vāpi sudurlabhaḥ ||
قال يودهيشثيرا: «إن هذا حقًّا أسمى الواجبات بين جميع الواجبات، يا مُحرق الأعداء. فلهذه التعاليم لا يُعثر على مُتكلّم، بل إن السامع نفسه نادرٌ ندرةً شديدة. لذلك، يا جدّي، تفقّد الأمر تفقّدًا تامًّا وأخبرني به كلَّه.»
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse elevates a particular inquiry into dharma as the ‘highest duty’ and stresses that true instruction and genuine receptivity are both rare; therefore one should seek an authoritative, disciplined elder-teacher and request a careful, complete exposition.
In Śānti Parva, Yudhiṣṭhira continues his questioning of Bhīṣma (the grandsire) about the highest principles of conduct. He emphasizes the exceptional difficulty of finding a qualified teacher and listener for this subject and urges Bhīṣma to examine it thoroughly and teach him.