Shloka 19
Ahiṃsā as Threefold Restraint (Mind–Speech–Action) and the Ethics of Consumption
युधिछिर उवाच श्रुतं भगवतो वाक्यं धर्मयुक्ते परं हितम्
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca śrutaṃ bhagavato vākyaṃ dharmayukte paraṃ hitam
ยุธิษฐิระกล่าวว่า “ข้าพเจ้าได้สดับพระวาจาของพระผู้เป็นเจ้าแล้ว—ตั้งมั่นในธรรมและเป็นประโยชน์สูงสุด”
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical ideal that true instruction is that which is aligned with dharma and aimed at the highest welfare (hita). It also models humility and receptivity: a ruler acknowledges having listened to righteous counsel.
Yudhiṣṭhira responds after receiving a revered authority’s discourse, affirming that he has heard it and recognizing it as dharma-consistent and supremely beneficial—serving as a transition into further questioning or acceptance of the teaching.