Shloka 5
जापक–इक्ष्वाकु–सत्यविवादः
The Jāpaka, Ikṣvāku, and the Dispute on Truth and Merit
भरद्वाज उवाच कि कस्य धर्माचरणं किं वा धर्मस्य लक्षणम् | धर्म: कतिविधो वापि तद् भवान् वक्तुमहति
bharadvāja uvāca: ki kasya dharmācaraṇaṁ kiṁ vā dharmasya lakṣaṇam | dharmaḥ katividho vāpi tad bhavān vaktum arhati ||
Bharadvāja dit : «En quoi consiste la pratique du dharma, et pour qui ? Quel est le signe qui définit le dharma ? Et encore, en combien de formes le dharma est-il classé ? Je vous en prie, seigneur : vous êtes digne de me l’expliquer.»
भरद्वाज उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames a foundational ethical inquiry: dharma must be understood through (1) its practical observance (ācaraṇa), (2) its defining criteria (lakṣaṇa), (3) its applicability—who is bound by which duties (kasya), and (4) its classification into kinds (katividha). It signals that dharma is not merely a slogan but a structured, knowable standard guiding conduct.
In the Śānti Parva’s instructional setting, the sage Bharadvāja respectfully questions a revered interlocutor/teacher, asking for a clear explanation of what dharma is, how it is recognized, for whom it applies, and how it is categorized—preparing the ground for a systematic exposition on righteous living.