युधिष्ठिर उवाच । कृष्णकृष्ण महाप्राज्ञ येन धर्मेण मानवाः । लभंते महदैश्वर्यं तन्नो ब्रूहि महामते । इत्युक्तो धर्मपुत्रेण कृष्णः प्राह युधिष्ठिरम्
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca | kṛṣṇakṛṣṇa mahāprājña yena dharmeṇa mānavāḥ | labhaṃte mahadaiśvaryaṃ tanno brūhi mahāmate | ityukto dharmaputreṇa kṛṣṇaḥ prāha yudhiṣṭhiram
Yudhiṣṭhira sprach: „O Kṛṣṇa, o Kṛṣṇa, du Hochweise! Durch welches Dharma erlangen die Menschen große Herrschaft und Wohlstand? Sage es uns, o Großgesinnter.“ So vom Sohn des Dharma angeredet, sprach Kṛṣṇa zu Yudhiṣṭhira.
Yudhiṣṭhira (then narrator notes Kṛṣṇa’s reply begins)
Scene: Yudhiṣṭhira, hands folded, addresses Kṛṣṇa twice by name in earnest; the court quiets as the king asks which dharma grants great sovereignty and prosperity; Kṛṣṇa prepares to answer.
True prosperity (aiśvarya) is sought through dharma, not merely through power or wealth.
The question sets up Kṛṣṇa’s answer that points to Lakṣmī-tīrtha as a dharmic means to aiśvarya.
No specific rite is prescribed yet; the verse frames the inquiry about a dharmic method.