Shloka 1
अज्ञान–लोभयोः परस्परहेतुत्वम्
Mutual Causality of Ignorance and Greed
ऑपन--मराज बछ। डे द्विपज्चाशर्दाधिकशततमो< ध्याय: इन्द्रोतका जनमेजयको धर्मोपदेश करके उनसे अश्वमेधयज्ञका अनुष्ठान कराना तथा निष्पाप राजाका पुनः अपने राज्यमें प्रवेश शौनक उवाच तस्मात् ते#हं प्रवक्ष्यामि धर्ममावृतचेतसे । श्रीमान् महाबलस्तुष्ट: स्वयं धर्ममवेक्षसे
Śaunaka uvāca: tasmāt te ’haṃ pravakṣyāmi dharmam āvṛta-cetase | śrīmān mahā-balas tuṣṭaḥ svayaṃ dharmam avekṣase ||
Śaunaka said: “Therefore I shall expound dharma to you, whose mind is still veiled (by doubt and grief). You are illustrious and of great strength; being inwardly satisfied, you will yourself discern and confirm what dharma truly is.”
शौनक उवाच
Educational Q&A
Dharma should be taught to one whose judgment is clouded, yet the listener must ultimately verify it through personal discernment; ethical understanding is both received through instruction and confirmed inwardly.
Śaunaka begins a didactic section, announcing that he will now explain dharma to his interlocutor, who is mentally burdened, while affirming that the listener—being noble and composed—will be able to recognize the truth of dharma for himself.