Shloka 21
Vyādha–Brāhmaṇa Saṃvāda: Śāpa, Vṛtta-Dharma, and Counsel Against Viṣāda
Grief
तयोराशां तु सफलां यः करोति स धर्मवित् । पिता माता च राजेन्द्र तुष्पतो यस्य नित्यश:
tayor āśāṃ tu saphalāṃ yaḥ karoti sa dharmavit | pitā mātā ca rājendra tuṣpato yasya nityaśaḥ ||
Markandeya said: “He alone is truly a knower of dharma who makes the hopes of those two bear fruit—whose father and mother, O best of kings, remain continually satisfied with him.”
मार्कण्डेय उवाच
Educational Q&A
True knowledge of dharma is shown by fulfilling the rightful hopes of one’s parents and keeping them consistently content through one’s conduct and service.
Mārkaṇḍeya addresses a king (“rājendra”) and states a criterion for righteousness: the person who makes his father and mother’s expectations succeed and keeps them pleased is to be regarded as a dharma-knower.