Shloka 44
Umā–Maheśvara-saṃvāda: Varṇa-bhraṃśa, Ācāra (Vṛtta), and Karmic Ascent/Decline
सर्वप्राणिद्िितं प्रश्न॑ ब्रह्मक्षत्रे विशेषत: | उनमेंसे ब्रह्मवेत्ताओंमें श्रेष्ठ वसिष्ठ मुनिने समस्त प्राणियोंके लिये हितकर तथा विशेषत: ब्राह्मण और क्षत्रियजातिके लिये लाभदायक प्रश्न उपस्थित किया-- || ४३ $ ।।
sarvapraṇihitaṁ praśnaṁ brahmakṣatre viśeṣataḥ | teṣāṁ madhye brahmavettṝṇāṁ śreṣṭho vasiṣṭho munir idaṁ sarvaprāṇihitaṁ praśnaṁ praṣṭum ārabdhavān | dravyahīnāḥ kathaṁ martyā daridrāḥ sādhuvartinaḥ | bhagavan, asmin loke sadācārā manuṣyāḥ prāyo daridrā dravyahīnāś ca; te kena karmaṇā kathaṁ vātra yajñaphalaṁ prāpnuyuḥ ||
ビーシュマは言った。「梵を知る者のうち最勝の仙ヴァシシュタは、あらゆる生きとし生けるものに益し、とりわけバラモンとクシャトリヤに利ある問いを立てた。『世尊よ。この世では、正しく生きる者ほど貧しく、財に乏しいことが多い。いかなる行いにより、いかなる仕方で、彼らはここにおいて祭祀（ヤジュニャ）の果を得られるのでしょうか。』それを聞いて、ブラフマーは答えた。」
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames a dharmic problem: material poverty does not erase the desire for spiritual merit, so the tradition must explain how the virtuous who lack resources can still attain the fruit of yajña—implying that intention, conduct, and alternative forms of sacrifice (non-material or simplified) are ethically significant.
Bhīṣma recounts an earlier dialogue: the sage Vasiṣṭha, addressing Brahmā, raises a welfare-oriented question—especially relevant to Brahmins and Kshatriyas—about how poor but righteous people can obtain the results of sacrificial acts; Brahmā is about to answer.