Shloka 46
Umā–Maheśvara-saṃvāda: Varṇa-bhraṃśa, Ācāra (Vṛtta), and Karmic Ascent/Decline
ब्रह्मोवाच अहो प्रश्नो महाभागा गूढार्थ: परम: शुभ: । सूक्ष्म: श्रेयांश्व॒ मर्दानां भवद्धिः समुदाह्ृत:
brahmovāca aho praśno mahābhāgā gūḍhārthaḥ paramaḥ śubhaḥ | sūkṣmaḥ śreyāṁś ca martyānāṁ bhavadbhiḥ samudāhṛtaḥ ||
Brahmā sprach: „Ah! O Glückselige, diese Frage ist tief an Bedeutung, höchst verheißungsvoll und überaus subtil. Sie ist wahrhaft förderlich für das höchste Wohl der Sterblichen—und ihr habt sie recht und klar vorgetragen.“
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse praises the act of asking a question that is deep, subtle, and ethically beneficial. It frames sincere inquiry into dharma as itself auspicious and as a means to human welfare (śreyas).
Within Bhīṣma’s discourse, a divine voice (Brahmā) responds approvingly to the interlocutors’ inquiry, emphasizing that their question is profound and well-formulated, setting the stage for an authoritative explanation of dharma.