Adhyāya 55 — Yudhiṣṭhira’s Hesitation and Bhīṣma’s Authorization of Inquiry
Rājadharma Prelude
इस प्रकार श्रीमह्याभारत शान्तिपर्वके अन्तर्गत राजधमनुशासनपर्वमें श्रीकृष्ण- वाक्यविषयक चौवनवाँ अध्याय पूरा हुआ
iti prakāraḥ śrīmahābhārata-śāntiparva-ke antargata rājadharmānuśāsanaparva-meṃ śrīkṛṣṇa-vākya-viṣayaka catuḥpañcāśattamaḥ adhyāyaḥ pūrṇaḥ abhavat
Ainsi s’achève le cinquante-quatrième chapitre, consacré aux paroles de Śrī Kṛṣṇa, au sein de la section Rājadharmānuśāsana du Śānti Parva du vénérable Mahābhārata. Ce colophon final marque l’achèvement d’un ensemble d’instructions sur le gouvernement juste et la conduite droite, présenté à travers le conseil de Kṛṣṇa.
वायुदेव उवाच
This line functions as a colophon rather than a doctrinal verse: it marks the completion of a chapter whose subject is Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s counsel, situated within the broader instruction on rājadharma (the ethical duties of rulers) in the Śānti Parva.
The text is closing a chapter and formally locating it within the Mahābhārata’s structure—Śānti Parva, specifically the Rājadharmānuśāsana section—indicating that the unit dealing with Kṛṣṇa’s statements has concluded.