Shloka 4
Kīṭopākhyāna: Prajā-pālana as Kṣatra-vrata and the Attainment of Brāhmaṇya
सर्व तत्त्वेन धर्मज्ञ यथावदिह धर्मतः । कि च भक्ष्यमभक्ष्यं वा सर्वमेतद् वदस्व मे
Yudhiṣṭhira uvāca |
Sarvaṁ tattvena dharmajña yathāvad iha dharmataḥ |
Kiṁ ca bhakṣyam abhakṣyaṁ vā sarvam etad vadasva me, dharmajña pitāmaha ||
Yudhiṣṭhira sprach: „O Kenner des Dharma, erkläre mir hier, in voller Wahrheit und in rechter Ordnung, alles gemäß der Rechtschaffenheit. Und sage mir auch, was zum Essen taugt und was nicht taugt—verkünde mir dies alles, o dharmaweiser Großvater.“
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames a dharma-inquiry: Yudhiṣṭhira requests a truthful, orderly exposition of righteous conduct, specifically including guidance on permissible and impermissible foods—linking ethical life to disciplined daily practice.
In the Anuśāsana Parva’s instruction setting, Yudhiṣṭhira addresses Bhīṣma as the authoritative elder on dharma and asks him to clarify comprehensive rules of conduct, with a focused question about what may or may not be eaten.