Shloka 2
Nāga–Nāgabhāryā Saṃvāda: Varṇa-Dharma, Gṛhastha-Discipline, and Mokṣa-Self-Inquiry
Mahābhārata 12.347
ततस्तं वचन प्राह ज्येष्ठो धर्मात्मज: प्रभु: । क इज्यते द्विजश्रेष्ठ दैवे पित्रये च कल्पिते,तब धर्मके ज्येष्ठ पुत्र नरने उनसे इस प्रकार पूछा--'द्विजश्रेष्ठ! तुम बुद्धिमानोंमें अग्रगण्य हो। तुम्हारे द्वारा देवकार्य और पितृकार्यके सम्पादित होनेपर उन कर्मोंस किसकी पूजा सम्पन्न होती है? यह मुझे शास्त्रके अनुसार बताओ। तुम यह कौन-सा कर्म करते हो? और इसके द्वारा किस फलको प्राप्त करना चाहते हो?
tatas taṁ vacanaṁ prāha jyeṣṭho dharmātmajaḥ prabhuḥ | ka ijyate dvijaśreṣṭha daive pitrye ca kalpite ||
ત્યારે ધર્મના જ્યેષ્ઠ પુત્ર, પ્રભુ યુધિષ્ઠિરે કહ્યું—“દ્વિજશ્રેષ્ઠ! દેવકાર્ય અને પિતૃકાર્ય વિધિપૂર્વક કરવામાં આવે ત્યારે ખરેખર કોની પૂજા સંપન્ન થાય છે?”
वैशमग्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames a dharma-inquiry: ritual acts for gods and ancestors are not merely mechanical; one must understand, as śāstra teaches, who is truly honored through them and what intended fruit (phala) is sought. It emphasizes informed, ethically grounded performance of duty.
In Śānti Parva’s instructional setting, Yudhiṣṭhira addresses a learned Brahmin (or teacher-figure) and asks a precise doctrinal question about daiva and pitṛ rites—who receives worship through them, what rite is being performed, and what result is aimed at.