Shloka 5
Śreyas-nirdeśa (Discerning the Superior Good): Nārada–Gālava Saṃvāda
पुत्र बवाच धीर: किंस्वित् तात कुर्यात् प्रजानन् क्षिप्रं ह्यायुर्श्श्यते मानवानाम् । पितस्तथा<5<5ख्याहि यथार्थयोगं ममानुपूर्व्या येन धर्म चरेयम्
putra uvāca dhīraḥ: kiṃ svit tāta kuryāt prajānann kṣipraṃ hy āyuḥ kṣīyate mānavānām | pitaḥ tathākhyāhi yathārtha-yogaṃ mamānupūrvyā yena dharmaṃ careyam ||
Le fils dit : «Père, la vie des hommes s’épuise avec une rapidité extrême. Le sachant bien, quelle discipline religieuse et morale doit entreprendre un homme ferme et clairvoyant ? Ô Père, explique-le-moi—pas à pas et selon son sens véritable—la méthode juste, afin que moi aussi je puisse vivre et pratiquer le dharma.»
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Because human life is fleeting, one should urgently seek and practice dharma through a clear, well-ordered method grounded in true understanding (yathārtha-yoga), rather than delaying or acting without discernment.
A son respectfully questions his father, asking for a sequential and accurate instruction on what a wise person should do, given the rapid passing of human life, so that he himself can follow that dharma in practice.