Shloka 4
त्रिवर्गविचारः
Tri-varga Deliberation: Dharma, Artha, Kāma
भारत! धर्मका यह मार्ग बहुत बड़ा है। इससे बहुत सी शाखाएँ निकली हुई हैं। इन धर्मोमेंसे कौनसा धर्म सर्वोत्तम, अवश्य पालन करनेयोग्य माना गया है? ।। धर्मस्य महतो राजन् बहुशाखस्य तत्त्वतः । यन्मूलं परमं तात तत् सर्व ब्रूहूशेषत:,राजन! बहुत-सी शाखाओंसे युक्त इस महान् धर्मका वास्तवमें परम मूल क्या है? तात! ये सब बातें मुझे पूर्णरूपसे बताइये
dharmasya mahato rājan bahuśākhasya tattvataḥ | yanmūlaṃ paramaṃ tāta tat sarvaṃ brūhi aśeṣataḥ ||
Tinanong ni Yudhiṣṭhira: “O Hari, ang dakilang landas ng dharma ay may maraming sanga. Sa katotohanan, ano ang pinakamataas nitong ugat—ang pinakadakilang saligan? Mahal na ginoo, sabihin mo sa akin ang lahat nang ganap, na walang iniiwan.”
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames dharma as a vast, many-branched system and seeks its single highest root—implying that ethical life has diverse applications but rests on an underlying supreme principle that must be identified to guide right action.
In the Śānti Parva’s instructional setting, Yudhiṣṭhira respectfully questions the elder authority he addresses as ‘O king,’ asking for a complete explanation of dharma’s ultimate foundation amid its many branches.