Shloka 4

Śreyas-nirdeśa (Discerning the Superior Good): Nārada–Gālava Saṃvāda

Devanagari script

सो<ब्रवीत्‌ पितरं पुत्र: स्वाध्यायकरणे रतम्‌ | मोक्षधर्मेष्वकुशलं मोक्षधर्मविचक्षण:

Transliteration

so ’bravīt pitaram putraḥ svādhyāya-karaṇe ratam | mokṣa-dharmeṣv akuśalaṃ mokṣa-dharma-vicakṣaṇaḥ ||

Translation

ഭീഷ്മൻ പറഞ്ഞു— മോക്ഷധർമ്മത്തിൽ വിവേകശാലിയായ ആ പുത്രൻ, സ്വാധ്യായാചരണത്തിൽ നിരതനായിരുന്നെങ്കിലും മോക്ഷധർമ്മതത്ത്വത്തിൽ പ്രാവീണ്യമില്ലാത്ത തന്റെ പിതാവിനെ ഇങ്ങനെ അഭിസംബോധന ചെയ്തു.

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अब्रवीत्: said/spoke
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू
• Form: Imperfect (Lan), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• पितरम्: father
• पितरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• पुत्रः: son
• पुत्रः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• स्वाध्यायकरणे: in the performance of self-study
• स्वाध्यायकरणे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वाध्याय-करण
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• रतम्: engaged/absorbed
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रत
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• मोक्षधर्मेषु: in the doctrines of liberation
• मोक्षधर्मेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोक्ष-धर्म
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Plural

• अकुशलम्: unskilled
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अकुशल
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• मोक्षधर्मविचक्षणः: skilled/wise in the doctrine of liberation
• मोक्षधर्मविचक्षणः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मोक्ष-धर्म-विचक्षण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma (speaker)
• son (putra)
• father (pitṛ)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse contrasts mere devotion to svādhyāya (scriptural study/recitation) with true proficiency in mokṣa-dharma (the discipline leading to liberation), implying that spiritual knowledge must mature into liberative understanding, not remain only at the level of study.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma introduces a scene where a son, knowledgeable about moksha, speaks to his father who is devoted to Vedic study but lacks expertise in liberation-teachings; the son’s question initiates a didactic exchange on mokṣa-dharma.