Shloka 4
Śreyas-nirdeśa (Discerning the Superior Good): Nārada–Gālava Saṃvāda
सो<ब्रवीत् पितरं पुत्र: स्वाध्यायकरणे रतम् | मोक्षधर्मेष्वकुशलं मोक्षधर्मविचक्षण:
so ’bravīt pitaram putraḥ svādhyāya-karaṇe ratam | mokṣa-dharmeṣv akuśalaṃ mokṣa-dharma-vicakṣaṇaḥ ||
भीष्म ने कहा— वह पुत्र मोक्षधर्म में निपुण था। उसने अपने पिता से—जो स्वाध्याय के अभ्यास में तो रत थे, पर मोक्षधर्म के तत्त्व में कुशल न थे—इस प्रकार कहा।
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse contrasts mere devotion to svādhyāya (scriptural study/recitation) with true proficiency in mokṣa-dharma (the discipline leading to liberation), implying that spiritual knowledge must mature into liberative understanding, not remain only at the level of study.
Bhishma introduces a scene where a son, knowledgeable about moksha, speaks to his father who is devoted to Vedic study but lacks expertise in liberation-teachings; the son’s question initiates a didactic exchange on mokṣa-dharma.