Shloka 16
Arjuna’s request to Krishna and the opening of the Kāśyapa–Brāhmaṇa mokṣa discourse (Āśvamedhika-parva 16)
अस्माभ्नि: परिपृष्टश्ष यदाह भरतर्षभ । दिव्येन विधिना पार्थ तच्छुणुष्वाविचारयन्,शत्रुदमन! एक दिनकी बात है, एक दुर्धर्ष ब्राह्मण ब्रह्मलोकसे उतरकर स्वर्गलोकमें होते हुए मेरे यहाँ आये। मैंने उनकी विधिवत् पूजा की और मोक्षधर्मके विषयमें प्रश्न किया। भरतश्रेष्ठ! मेरे प्रश्नका उन्होंने सुन्दर विधिसे उत्तर दिया। पार्थ! वही मैं तुम्हें बतला रहा हूँ। कोई अन्यथा विचार न करके इसे ध्यान देकर सुनो इति श्रीमहाभारते आश्वमेधिके पर्वणि अनुगीतापर्वणि षोडशोडथध्याय:
vāyudeva uvāca | asmābhiḥ paripṛṣṭaś ca yad āha bharatarṣabha | divyena vidhinā pārtha tac chṛṇuṣvāvicārayan śatrudamana | ekadinasya vṛttānto 'yam | durdharṣo brāhmaṇo brahmalokād avataran svargalokam atikramya mama gṛham āgataḥ | mayā tasya vidhivat pūjā kṛtā mokṣadharme ca praśnaḥ kṛtaḥ | bharataśreṣṭha mama praśnasya sa sundareṇa vidhinā pratyuvāca | pārtha tad eva te 'haṃ vakṣyāmi | anyathā na vicārya dhyānena śṛṇu ||
Vāyudeva said: “O bull among the Bharatas! What I was asked, and what I replied, I shall now recount. O Pārtha, listen without wavering, O subduer of foes. Once, a formidable brāhmaṇa descended from Brahmaloka; passing through Svarga, he came to my abode. I honored him according to sacred rule and questioned him about the dharma that leads to liberation. O best of the Bharatas, he answered my inquiry in a beautiful and proper manner. O Pārtha, I will now tell you that very teaching. Do not interpret it otherwise—listen with focused attention.”
वायुदेव उवाच