Shloka 1
Śāṇḍilī–Sumanā-saṃvāda: Sat-strī-samudācāra and Pati-dharma
Conduct of the Virtuous Wife
इस प्रकार श्रीमह्याभारत अनुशासनपर्वके अन्तर्गत दानधर्मपर्वमें कीड़ेका उपाख्यानविषयक एक सौ उतन्नीसवाँ अध्याय पूरा हुआ ॥/ ११९ ॥। ऑपन--र< बछ। ] अत्ऑकाड विशर्त्याधिकशततमो< ध्याय: व्यास और मैत्रेयका संवाद--दानकी प्रशंसा और कर्मका रहस्य युधिछिर उवाच विद्या तपश्च दानं च किमेतेषां विशिष्यते । पृच्छामि त्वां सतां श्रेष्ठ तन्मे ब्रूहि पितामह,युधिष्ठटिरने पूछा--सत्पुरुषोंमें श्रेष्ठ पितामह! विद्या, तप और दान--इनमेंसे कौन-सा श्रेष्ठ है? यह मैं आपसे पूछता हूँ, मुझे बताइये
Yudhiṣṭhira uvāca: vidyā tapaś ca dānaṃ ca kim eteṣāṃ viśiṣyate? pṛcchāmi tvāṃ satāṃ śreṣṭha tan me brūhi pitāmaha.
Yudhiṣṭhira said: “O Pitāmaha, best among the virtuous, I ask you—among learning, austerity, and giving, which is the most excellent? Please tell me.”
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames a classic dharma-inquiry: when multiple virtues are praised—knowledge (vidyā), austerity (tapas), and charity (dāna)—how should one understand their relative excellence. It prepares for Bhīṣma’s ethical clarification that virtue is not only the act but also its purpose, context, and inner disposition.
In the Anuśāsana Parva’s instruction on gifts and dharma, Yudhiṣṭhira respectfully questions the grandsire Bhīṣma, seeking guidance on which among learning, austerity, and giving should be regarded as foremost, setting up Bhīṣma’s discourse on dāna and the subtlety of karma.