युधिष्ठिर उवाच । कृष्णकृष्ण महाप्राज्ञ येन धर्मेण मानवाः । लभंते महदैश्वर्यं तन्नो ब्रूहि महामते । इत्युक्तो धर्मपुत्रेण कृष्णः प्राह युधिष्ठिरम्
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca | kṛṣṇakṛṣṇa mahāprājña yena dharmeṇa mānavāḥ | labhaṃte mahadaiśvaryaṃ tanno brūhi mahāmate | ityukto dharmaputreṇa kṛṣṇaḥ prāha yudhiṣṭhiram
Yudhiṣṭhira berkata: “Wahai Kṛṣṇa, wahai Kṛṣṇa, yang maha-bijaksana—dengan dharma apakah manusia meraih kedaulatan dan kemakmuran besar? Terangkanlah kepada kami, wahai yang berhati luhur.” Setelah demikian disapa putra Dharma, Kṛṣṇa pun bersabda kepada Yudhiṣṭhira.
Yudhiṣṭhira (then narrator notes Kṛṣṇa’s reply begins)
Scene: Yudhiṣṭhira, hands folded, addresses Kṛṣṇa twice by name in earnest; the court quiets as the king asks which dharma grants great sovereignty and prosperity; Kṛṣṇa prepares to answer.
True prosperity (aiśvarya) is sought through dharma, not merely through power or wealth.
The question sets up Kṛṣṇa’s answer that points to Lakṣmī-tīrtha as a dharmic means to aiśvarya.
No specific rite is prescribed yet; the verse frames the inquiry about a dharmic method.