Umā–Maheśvara-saṃvāda: Varṇa-bhraṃśa, Ācāra (Vṛtta), and Karmic Ascent/Decline
ब्रह्मोवाच अहो प्रश्नो महाभागा गूढार्थ: परम: शुभ: । सूक्ष्म: श्रेयांश्व॒ मर्दानां भवद्धिः समुदाह्ृत:
brahmovāca aho praśno mahābhāgā gūḍhārthaḥ paramaḥ śubhaḥ | sūkṣmaḥ śreyāṁś ca martyānāṁ bhavadbhiḥ samudāhṛtaḥ ||
ພຣະພຣະຫມາ ກ່າວວ່າ: “ໂອ! ທ່ານຜູ້ມີວາສະນາດີທັງຫຼາຍ, ຄໍາຖາມນີ້ມີນັຍະລຶກຊຶ້ງ, ເປັນມົງຄົນສູງສຸດ, ແລະລະອຽດອ່ອນຢ່າງຍິ່ງ. ມັນຍັງນໍາໄປສູ່ປະໂຫຍດສູງສຸດແກ່ມະນຸດ, ແລະພວກເຈົ້າໄດ້ຍົກຂຶ້ນຢ່າງຖືກຕ້ອງ ແລະຊັດເຈນ.”
भीष्म उवाच
The verse praises the act of asking a question that is deep, subtle, and ethically beneficial. It frames sincere inquiry into dharma as itself auspicious and as a means to human welfare (śreyas).
Within Bhīṣma’s discourse, a divine voice (Brahmā) responds approvingly to the interlocutors’ inquiry, emphasizing that their question is profound and well-formulated, setting the stage for an authoritative explanation of dharma.