Shloka 3
Tilā-Dāna, Dīpa-Dāna, and Nitya-Jalapradāna
Yama–Brāhmaṇa Saṃvāda) | तिलदान-दीपदान-नित्यजलप्रदान (यम-ब्राह्मण संवाद
द्वारकामनुसम्प्राप्तं नारद देवदर्शनम् । पप्रच्छेदं वच: प्रश्न॑ देवकी धर्मदर्शनम्
Dvārakām anusamprāptaṃ Nāradaṃ devadarśanam | papracchedam vacaḥ praśnaṃ Devakī dharmadarśanam ||
Bhīṣma dit : «Lorsque le sage Nārada, doué de vision divine, arriva à Dvārakā, Devakī —clairvoyante en matière de dharma— s’approcha de lui et lui posa une question, en quête d’une direction juste.»
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames dharma as something to be sought through respectful inquiry: even a virtuous person like Devaki turns to a realized sage (Narada) for clarification, emphasizing humility and the value of authoritative guidance in ethical matters.
Narada arrives in Dvaraka, and Devaki approaches him and asks a specific question about dharma; Bhishma introduces this scene as the setting for the instruction that follows.