Shloka 1
Brahmopadeśa: Ahiṃsā, Jñāna, and the Kṣetrajña–Sattva Analysis
Chapter 49
अत--#क+ एकोनपज्चाशत्तमो<ड्ध्याय: धर्मका निर्णय जाननेके लिये ऋषियोंका प्रश्न ऋषय ऊचु: को वा स्विदिह धर्माणामनुछेयतमो मतः । व्याहतामिव पश्यामो धर्मस्य विविधां गतिम्
ṛṣaya ūcuḥ | ko vā svid iha dharmāṇām anuṣṭheyatamo mataḥ | vyāhatām iva paśyāmo dharmasya vividhāṃ gatim ||
ଋଷିମାନେ କହିଲେ— “ହେ ବ୍ରାହ୍ମଣ! ଏହି ଜଗତରେ ସମସ୍ତ ଧର୍ମମଧ୍ୟରୁ କେଉଁ ଧର୍ମଟି ଅନୁଷ୍ଠାନ କରିବାକୁ ସର୍ବୋତ୍ତମ ବୋଲି ମନାଯାଏ? କାରଣ ଧର୍ମର ବିଭିନ୍ନ ଗତିମାନ ଆମକୁ ଯେନ ପରସ୍ପର ବିରୋଧ କରି ଅବରୋଧ କରୁଛି ବୋଲି ପ୍ରତୀତ ହୁଏ।”
वायुदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames a classic Mahābhārata problem: dharma is not always a single clear rule, because multiple duties and values can appear to clash. Therefore, one must inquire into which practice is truly ‘most to be undertaken’ in a given world of competing moral claims.
A group of sages formally question a Brahmin speaker, asking for a decisive criterion: among all dharmas, which is the सर्वोत्तम to practice, since the many paths of dharma seem mutually obstructive and contradictory.