Shloka 51

Śānti-parva 168: Śoka-nivṛtti-buddhi (The Cognition that Reduces Grief) and Piṅgalā’s Nairāśya

Devanagari script

स चापि तान्‌ धर्मसुतो महामना- स्तदा प्रतीतान्‌ प्रशशंस वीर्यवान्‌ | पुनश्न पप्रच्छ सरिद्वरासुतं ततः परं धर्ममहीनचेतसम्‌

Transliteration

sa cāpi tān dharmasuto mahāmanās tadā pratītān praśaśaṁsa vīryavān | punaś ca papraccha saridvarāsutaṁ tataḥ paraṁ dharmam ahīnacetasaḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana dijo: Entonces el magnánimo hijo de Dharma, el valeroso Yudhiṣṭhira, elogió a aquellos reyes y parientes dignos de confianza que habían mostrado su lealtad. Después, con ánimo sereno y generoso, se acercó de nuevo a Bhīṣma, hijo del más excelso de los ríos, y le preguntó acerca de los principios más altos y excelentes del dharma.

Word by Word

• [{'term': 'dharmasutaḥ', 'definition': 'son of Dharma

• epithet of Yudhiṣṭhira'}, {'term': 'mahāmanāḥ', 'definition': 'great-souled, noble-minded'}, {'term': 'pratītān', 'definition': 'trusted, approved, those in whom confidence is placed'}, {'term': 'praśaśaṁsa', 'definition': 'praised, commended'}, {'term': 'vīryavān', 'definition': 'valiant, possessed of heroic strength'}, {'term': 'punaḥ', 'definition': 'again'}, {'term': 'papraccha', 'definition': 'asked, inquired'}, {'term': 'saridvarāsutaḥ / saridvarā-sutaṁ', 'definition': 'son of the best of rivers (Gaṅgā)

• epithet of Bhīṣma'}, {'term': 'tataḥ param', 'definition': 'thereafter

• next, in a higher degree'}, {'term': 'dharmaḥ', 'definition': 'righteous duty

• ethical order'}, {'term': 'ahīnacetasaḥ', 'definition': 'of undepressed mind

Speaker

वैशग्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśaṃpāyana
• Yudhiṣṭhira (Dharmasuta, Dharmaputra)
• Bhīṣma
• Gaṅgā (Saridvarā)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights a dharmic method of learning: after acknowledging and honoring trustworthy allies, Yudhiṣṭhira seeks deeper guidance on dharma from an authoritative elder (Bhīṣma). Ethical inquiry is framed as continuous—one returns again to ask about 'para-dharma', the higher or more refined principles of right conduct.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shānti Parva dialogue setting, Vaiśaṃpāyana narrates that Yudhiṣṭhira praises the loyal kings and relatives present, and then approaches Bhīṣma once more to ask further questions about the best and higher forms of dharma.