Shloka 8
Brahma-vidyā: Satya–Tapas and the Enumeration of Tattvas
Arjuna–Vāsudeva framed dialogue
केन जीवन्ति भूतानि तेषामायुश्च कि परम् । शरज कि सत्यं कि तपो विप्र के गुणा: सद्धिरीरिता:
śiṣya uvāca | kena jīvanti bhūtāni teṣām āyuś ca ki param | śaraḥ ki satyaṃ ki tapo vipra ke guṇāḥ sādubhir īritāḥ || vipravara |
សិស្សបានទូលថា៖ «ឱ ព្រាហ្មណ៍! សត្វលោករស់នៅដោយអ្វី? អាយុកាលខ្ពស់បំផុតរបស់ពួកគេមានប៉ុន្មាន? សេចក្តីពិត (សត្យ) និងតបៈ (ការប្រកបវិន័យតឹងរឹង) ជាអ្វី? ហើយគុណធម៌ណាខ្លះដែលសត្ដបុរសបានសរសើរ? ឱ ព្រាហ្មណ៍ដ៏ប្រសើរ សូមប្រាប់ខ្ញុំ។»
शिष्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames a dharma-inquiry: the disciple seeks foundational principles—what supports life, the limits of lifespan, the meanings of satya (truthfulness) and tapas (austerity), and the virtues endorsed by the righteous—so that ethical living can be grounded in clear definitions.
In a teacher–disciple setting within the Ashvamedhika Parva, the student respectfully questions a learned brāhmaṇa, requesting instruction on life’s sustaining factors and the moral-spiritual standards upheld by good people.