Shloka 27
Daśagrīva-boonāvaraṇa, Viṣṇv-avatāra-niyoga, Vānara-sahāya-janana, Mantharā-nirmāṇa
युधिछिर उवाच भगवन् दानधर्माणां तपसो वा महामुने । किंस्विद् बहुगुणं प्रेत्य कि वा दुष्करमुच्यते
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca | bhagavan dānadharmāṇāṃ tapaso vā mahāmune | kiṃ svid bahuguṇaṃ pretya kiṃ vā duṣkaram ucyate ||
Yudhiṣṭhira dit : «Ô Bienheureux, ô grand sage — entre le dharma du don (dāna) et la pratique de l’austérité (tapas), lequel est tenu pour porter le plus grand fruit après la mort ? Et de ces deux voies, laquelle dit-on être la plus difficile à accomplir ?»
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames a classical dharma inquiry: how to evaluate spiritual practices by (1) their fruit in the hereafter and (2) their practical difficulty. It invites a nuanced ethical comparison between outward beneficence (dāna) and inward discipline (tapas).
In the Vana Parva dialogue setting, Yudhiṣṭhira respectfully questions a revered sage about the relative merit and difficulty of two major paths of dharma—charitable giving and austerity—seeking guidance on what most benefits one beyond death.