Shloka 3
त्रिवर्गविचारः
Tri-varga Deliberation: Dharma, Artha, Kāma
महानयं धर्मपथो बहुशाखश्न भारत | किंस्विदेवेह धर्माणामनुछ्ठेयतमं मतम्
mahān ayaṃ dharmapatho bahuśākhaś ca bhārata | kiṃ svid eveha dharmāṇām anuṣṭheyatamaṃ matam ||
യുധിഷ്ഠിരൻ പറഞ്ഞു—ഹേ ഭാരതാ! ധർമ്മപഥം മഹത്തും അനേകം ശാഖകളുള്ളതുമാണ്. ഈ ലോകത്തിൽ ധർമ്മങ്ങളിൽ ഏതാണ് ഏറ്റവും അധികം അനുഷ്ഠേയമെന്ന് കരുതപ്പെടുന്നത്?
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames dharma as vast and multi-branched, and raises the central ethical problem of prioritization: among many legitimate duties, which is the most essential to practice in lived life.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction setting, Yudhiṣṭhira—seeking clarity after the war—asks his teacher/interlocutor to identify the foremost practicable dharma amid the many forms and branches of righteous conduct.