Shloka 1
Saṃsāra-gahana-jñāna: Vidura’s Account of Embodiment, Bondage, and Dharmic Release (संसारगहन-ज्ञानम्)
अपना बछ। अर: चतुथों5 ध्याय: दुःखमय संसारके गहन स्वरूपका वर्णन और उससे छूटनेका उपाय धृतराष्ट उवाच कथं संसारगहन विज्ञेयं वदतां वर | एतदिच्छाम्यहं श्रोतुं तत््वमाख्याहि पृच्छत:,धृतराष्ट्रने पूछा--वक्ताओंमें श्रेष्ठ विदुरर! इस गहन संसारके स्वरूपका ज्ञान कैसे हो? यह मैं सुनना चाहता हूँ। मेरे प्रश्नके अनुसार तुम इस विषयका यथार्थरूपसे वर्णन करो
dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca | kathaṃ saṃsāragahanaṃ vijñeyaṃ vadatāṃ vara | etad icchāmy ahaṃ śrotuṃ tattvam ākhyāhi pṛcchataḥ ||
Dhṛtarāṣṭra said: “O best among speakers, how is one to truly understand this dense and bewildering thicket of worldly existence? I wish to hear this. As I ask, explain to me the reality of it clearly.”
धृतराष्ट उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames a dharmic inquiry: true liberation-oriented wisdom begins with recognizing saṃsāra as a confusing entanglement and seeking tattva (reality) from a trustworthy, discerning teacher.
In the aftermath of the war’s devastation, Dhṛtarāṣṭra turns to a renowned counselor (Vidura) and asks for a clear explanation of the nature of worldly bondage and how it can be rightly understood.