Shloka 2
युधिष्ठिरने पूछा--भगवन्! अहिंसा, वेदोक्त कर्म, ध्यान, इन्द्रिय-संयम, तपस्या और गुरु-शुश्रूषा--इनमेंसे कौन-सा कर्म मनुष्यका (विशेष) कल्याण कर सकता है ।। ब॒हस्पतिर्वाच सर्वाण्येतानि धर्म्याणि पृथग्द्वाराणि सर्वशः । शृणु संकीर्त्यमानानि षडेव भरतर्षभ
Yudhiṣṭhira uvāca—Bhagavan! ahiṃsā, vedokta-karma, dhyāna, indriya-saṃyama, tapasyā ca guru-śuśrūṣā—eteṣāṃ madhye kaḥ karma manuṣyasya (viśeṣataḥ) kalyāṇaṃ kartum arhati? || Bṛhaspatir uvāca—sarvāṇy etāni dharmyāṇi pṛthag-dvārāṇi sarvaśaḥ; śṛṇu saṃkīrtyamānāni ṣaḍ eva, bharatarṣabha. ||
Yudhiṣṭhira perguntou: “Venerável senhor, dentre estas—não violência, deveres prescritos pelos Vedas, meditação, domínio dos sentidos, austeridade e serviço ao mestre—qual prática pode trazer ao homem um bem-estar especial?” Bṛhaspati respondeu: “Todas são justas; cada uma é uma porta distinta para o dharma. Ouve enquanto exponho estas seis, ó touro entre os Bharatas.”
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bṛhaspati teaches that multiple disciplines—non-violence, scriptural duty, meditation, sense-control, austerity, and service to the teacher—are all legitimate and righteous avenues to dharma and human welfare; they are not mutually exclusive but distinct ‘gateways’ leading toward the good.
In the Anuśāsana Parva’s instructional setting, Yudhiṣṭhira seeks guidance on which single practice most benefits a person. Bṛhaspati responds by reframing the question: rather than one exclusive best, these six are each dharmic paths, and he is about to enumerate and explain them.