Shloka 1

मातापितृगुरुपूजा-प्रशंसा

Praise of Venerating Mother, Father, and Teacher

Devanagari script

हि. 57 2 -22-> छा अंक अष्टाधिकशततमोब<् ध्याय: माता-पिता तथा गुरुकी सेवाका महत्त्व युधिछिर उवाच महानयं धर्मपथो बहुशाखश्न भारत | किंस्विदेवेह धर्माणामनुछ्ठेय तमं मतम्‌,युधिष्ठिरने पूछा--भारत! धर्मका यह मार्ग बहुत बड़ा है तथा इसकी बहुत-सी शाखाएँ हैं इन धर्मोमेंसे किसको आप विशेषरूपसे आचरणमें लानेयोग्य समझते हैं?

Transliteration

Yudhiṣṭhira uvāca—mahān ayaṁ dharma-patho bahu-śākhaḥ, bhārata; kiṁ svid eṣv iha dharmāṇām anuṣṭheyatamaṁ matam?

Translation

Yudhiṣṭhira said: “O Bhārata, this path of dharma is vast and has many branches. Among the duties taught here, which one do you judge to be the most essential to put into practice?”

Word by Word

• {'yudhiṣṭhira uvāca': 'Yudhiṣṭhira said', 'mahān': 'great, vast', 'ayam': 'this', 'dharma-pathaḥ': 'the path/way of dharma (righteous conduct and duty)', 'bahu-śākhaḥ': 'having many branches

• manifold', 'bhārata': 'O Bhārata (address to Bhīṣma / descendant of Bharata)', 'kim svid': 'what indeed?

• which, pray?', 'eṣu': 'among these', 'iha': 'here (in this teaching/context)', 'dharmāṇām': 'of duties / of dharmas', 'anuṣṭheya-tamam': 'most to be practiced

• most imperative for performance', 'matam': 'considered, regarded

Speaker

युधिछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Bhārata (addressed elder, traditionally Bhīṣma)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames dharma as a vast, multi-branched system and asks for prioritization: among many legitimate duties, which one is most essential for actual practice. It introduces a discussion on ethical hierarchy—how to choose the most actionable and foundational duty.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva’s instructional setting, Yudhiṣṭhira addresses the elder teacher (Bhārata/Bhīṣma) and requests guidance. He acknowledges the complexity of dharma and asks which duty should be treated as foremost in conduct, setting up the chapter’s teaching (noted in this adhyāya as emphasizing service to mother, father, and guru).