Shloka 87
Atithi-prāpti and the Brāhmaṇa’s Deliberation on Triadic Dharma (अतिथिप्राप्तिः धर्मत्रयविचारश्च)
देवा देवर्षयश्नोचुस्तमेवंवादिनं गुरुम् | एकपादस्थिते धर्मे यत्र क्वचन गामिनि
devā devarṣayaś nocus tam evaṃvādinaṃ gurum | ekapādasthite dharme yatra kvacana gāmini
Vaiśampāyana dit : Alors les dieux et les sages divins s’adressèrent à ce vénérable maître qui parlait ainsi : «Quand le Dharma ne tient plus que sur un seul pied — chancelant et errant partout — que faut-il faire ?»
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames an ethical crisis: when Dharma becomes unstable and no longer firmly established, even divine beings seek guidance. It highlights that in times of moral decline, discernment and right counsel are essential to restore or uphold righteousness.
Vaiśampāyana narrates that the gods and divine seers address a revered teacher who has been speaking on Dharma. They raise a pointed question about a condition where Dharma is reduced to ‘one foot’—a metaphor for weakened righteousness that wanders without firm support.