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Shloka 3

त्रिवर्गविचारः

Tri-varga Deliberation: Dharma, Artha, Kāma

महानयं धर्मपथो बहुशाखश्न भारत | किंस्विदेवेह धर्माणामनुछ्ठेयतमं मतम्‌

mahān ayaṃ dharmapatho bahuśākhaś ca bhārata | kiṃ svid eveha dharmāṇām anuṣṭheyatamaṃ matam ||

ยุธิษฐิระทูลว่า “โอ ภารตะ หนทางแห่งธรรมนี้ยิ่งใหญ่และแตกแขนงมาก ในโลกนี้ ในบรรดาธรรมทั้งหลาย ธรรมข้อใดเล่าถือกันว่า ‘ควรปฏิบัติยิ่ง’?”

महान्great
महान्:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootमहत्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
अयम्this
अयम्:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootइदम्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
धर्मपथःpath of dharma
धर्मपथः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootधर्मपथ
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
बहुशाखःhaving many branches
बहुशाखः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootबहुशाख
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
not
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
भारतO Bharata
भारत:
TypeNoun
Rootभारत
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular
किम्what?
किम्:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootकिम्
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
स्वित्indeed / I wonder
स्वित्:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootस्वित्
एवjust / indeed
एव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव
इहhere (in this world/teaching)
इह:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइह
धर्माणाम्of dharmas / of duties
धर्माणाम्:
TypeNoun
Rootधर्म
FormMasculine, Genitive, Plural
अनुष्ठेयतमम्most to be practiced
अनुष्ठेयतमम्:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootअनुष्ठेयतम
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
मतम्opinion / view
मतम्:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootमत
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular

युधिछिर उवाच

Y
Yudhiṣṭhira
B
Bhārata

Educational Q&A

The verse frames dharma as vast and multi-branched, and raises the central ethical problem of prioritization: among many legitimate duties, which is the most essential to practice in lived life.

In the Śānti Parva’s instruction setting, Yudhiṣṭhira—seeking clarity after the war—asks his teacher/interlocutor to identify the foremost practicable dharma amid the many forms and branches of righteous conduct.