Shloka 10
आपद्धर्मनिर्णयः — विश्वामित्र-श्वपचसंवादः
Apaddharma Determination: Dialogue of Viśvāmitra and the Śvapaca
एतद् वै सर्वकृत्यानां परं कृत्यं परंतप । नैतस्य कश्रिद् वक्तास्ति श्रोता वापि सुदुर्लभ:
etad vai sarvakṛtyānāṃ paraṃ kṛtyaṃ parantapa | naitasya kaścid vaktāsti śrotā vāpi sudurlabhaḥ ||
یُدھِشٹھِر نے کہا— اے پرنتپ! یہ تمام فرائض میں سب سے اعلیٰ فریضہ ہے۔ اس تعلیم کا کوئی بیان کرنے والا نہیں ملتا؛ بلکہ اسے سننے والا بھی نہایت نایاب ہے۔ لہٰذا اے پیتامہ! آپ اس پر خوب تحقیق کرکے پوری بات مجھے بتائیے۔
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse elevates a particular inquiry into dharma as the ‘highest duty’ and stresses that true instruction and genuine receptivity are both rare; therefore one should seek an authoritative, disciplined elder-teacher and request a careful, complete exposition.
In Śānti Parva, Yudhiṣṭhira continues his questioning of Bhīṣma (the grandsire) about the highest principles of conduct. He emphasizes the exceptional difficulty of finding a qualified teacher and listener for this subject and urges Bhīṣma to examine it thoroughly and teach him.