Shloka 2
Adhyāya 249 — Mṛtyu-prādurbhāvaḥ (The Manifestation of Death) / Restraint of Tejas and Ordered Saṃhāra
व्यास उवाच धर्म ते सम्प्रवक्ष्यामि पुराणमृषिभि: कृतम् । विशिष्ट सर्वधर्मेभ्यस्तमिहैकमना: शूणु
vyāsa uvāca | dharmaṁ te sampravakṣyāmi purāṇam ṛṣibhiḥ kṛtam | viśiṣṭaṁ sarva-dharmebhyaḥ tam ihaika-manāḥ śṛṇu |
ବ୍ୟାସ କହିଲେ—ବତ୍ସ! ଋଷିମାନେ ରଚି ଯାହା ପରମ୍ପରାରେ ପ୍ରଚଳିତ, ସେହି ପୁରାତନ ଧର୍ମକୁ ମୁଁ ତୁମକୁ କହୁଛି। ଏହା ସମସ୍ତ ଧର୍ମଠାରୁ ଶ୍ରେଷ୍ଠ; ତେଣୁ ଏକାଗ୍ରଚିତ୍ତେ ଶୁଣ।
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse establishes the authority and primacy of an ancient, rishi-founded Dharma and urges the listener to receive it with focused attention, implying that ethical understanding requires both reliable tradition and disciplined listening.
Vyāsa begins a formal instruction: he announces that he will explain a venerable, sage-established doctrine of Dharma—presented as superior to other teachings—and calls upon the listener to hear it with single-minded concentration.