Shloka 17
Arjuna’s request to Krishna and the opening of the Kāśyapa–Brāhmaṇa mokṣa discourse (Āśvamedhika-parva 16)
ब्राह्मण उवाच मोक्षधर्म समाश्रित्य कृष्ण यन्मामपृच्छथा: । भूतानामनुकम्पार्थ यन्मोहच्छेदनं विभो,ब्राह्मणने कहा--श्रीकृष्ण! मधुसूदन! तुमने सब प्राणियोंपर कृपा करके उनके मोहका नाश करनेके लिये जो यह मोक्ष-धर्मसे सम्बन्ध रखनेवाला प्रश्न किया है, उसका मैं यथावत् उत्तर दे रहा हूँ। प्रभो! माधव! सावधान होकर मेरी बात श्रवण करो
brāhmaṇa uvāca: mokṣadharma-samāśritya kṛṣṇa yan mām apṛcchathāḥ | bhūtānām anukampārthaṃ yan moha-cchedanaṃ vibho ||
O brāhmana disse: “Ó Kṛṣṇa, ó Madhusūdana! Já que me fizeste esta pergunta, fundada no dharma da libertação — por compaixão por todos os seres e com o propósito de cortar a ilusão, ó Poderoso — eu a responderei exatamente como ela é. Ó Senhor, ó Mādhava, escuta atentamente as minhas palavras.”
ब्राह्मण उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames mokṣa-dharma as compassionate instruction: true spiritual teaching aims to remove moha (delusion) for the welfare of all beings, and it should be given carefully and accurately.
A Brahmin respondent addresses Krishna, acknowledging Krishna’s question as rooted in the path of liberation and motivated by compassion; the Brahmin then prepares to deliver a faithful, attentive explanation.