Shloka 5
Brāhmaṇya-प्रश्नः — The Inquiry into Attaining Brāhmaṇya
Mataṅga–Gardabhī Itihāsa
अस्ति मे भगवन वक्षित्तीर्थेभ्यो धर्मसंशय: । तत् सर्व श्रोतुमिच्छामि तन्मे शंस महामुने,'भगवन्! महामुने! मुझे तीर्थोंके सम्बन्धमें कुछ धर्मविषयक संदेह है। वह सब मैं सुनना चाहता हूँ। आप कृपया मुझे बताइये
asti me bhagavan vakṣitīrthebhyo dharma-saṁśayaḥ | tat sarvaṁ śrotum icchāmi tan me śaṁsa mahāmune ||
“O revered one, O great sage, I have a doubt concerning dharma as it relates to the tīrthas. I wish to hear the whole matter clearly. Please explain it to me.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse models dharmic inquiry: when uncertain about religious practice (here, tīrtha-related duties and merits), one should seek clarification from a qualified sage and aim to understand the matter in full rather than relying on assumption or hearsay.
In the Anuśāsana Parva’s instruction-setting, Bhīṣma addresses a revered sage and requests a complete explanation about doubts he has regarding the dharma connected with pilgrimage places (tīrthas), initiating a didactic discussion on tīrtha-dharma.