Shloka 4
Śreyas-nirdeśa (Discerning the Superior Good): Nārada–Gālava Saṃvāda
सो<ब्रवीत् पितरं पुत्र: स्वाध्यायकरणे रतम् | मोक्षधर्मेष्वकुशलं मोक्षधर्मविचक्षण:,उसके पिता सदा स्वाध्यायमें ही तत्पर रहते थे, किंतु मोक्षधर्ममें इतने निपुण नहीं थे। पुत्र मोक्षधर्मके ज्ञानमें कुशल था; अत: उसने अपने पितासे पूछा
so ’bravīt pitaram putraḥ svādhyāya-karaṇe ratam | mokṣa-dharmeṣv akuśalaṃ mokṣa-dharma-vicakṣaṇaḥ ||
Bhīṣma disse: “O filho, versado na disciplina da libertação, dirigiu-se ao pai—sempre dedicado ao estudo védico, mas não hábil nos ensinamentos acerca do mokṣa. Conhecendo bem o caminho da libertação, o filho interrogou o pai.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
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.
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.