Shloka 15
Śuka’s Guṇa-Transcendence and Vyāsa’s Consolation (शुकगति-वर्णनम्)
अथ भुक्तवती प्रीता राजानं मन्त्रिभि्वृतम् । सर्वभाष्यविदां मध्ये चोदयामास भिक्षुकी
atha bhuktavatī prītā rājānaṃ mantribhir vṛtam | sarvabhāṣyavidāṃ madhye codayāmāsa bhikṣukī ||
ភីष្មបាននិយាយ៖ នាងសុលភា អ្នកសុំបិណ្ឌបាត បន្ទាប់ពីបានបរិភោគហើយមានចិត្តពេញចិត្ត ក៏សម្រេចចិត្តសួរព្រះបាទជនកា ដែលអង្គុយព័ទ្ធជុំវិញដោយមន្ត្រី និងនៅកណ្ដាលក្រុមបណ្ឌិតអ្នកចេះអធិប្បាយគ្រប់សាស្ត្រ។
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse sets up an ethical-philosophical examination: true wisdom is not confined to status or institutional learning. A renunciant, after simple satisfaction, initiates inquiry before ministers and scholars, implying that dharma and self-knowledge must withstand public, reasoned questioning beyond social rank.
After being fed and becoming content, the mendicant woman Sulabhā decides to question King Janaka. Janaka is seated in a learned assembly, surrounded by his ministers, and Sulabhā prepares to challenge him with questions in front of expert scholars.