Shloka 1
अध्याय ३२३ — श्वेतद्वीपगमनम्, यज्ञभाग-विवादः, एकान्तिभक्त्या नारायणदर्शन-नियमः (Śvetadvīpa Journey; Dispute over Sacrificial Share; Rule of Nārāyaṇa-vision through Single-minded Devotion)
युधिष्ठिरने कहा--पितामह! व्यासजीके यहाँ महातपस्वी और धर्मात्मा शुकदेवजीका जन्म कैसे हुआ? तथा उन्होंने परम सिद्धि कैसे प्राप्त की? यह मुझे बताइये
Yudhiṣṭhira uvāca—Pitāmaha! Vyāsasya gṛhe mahātapasvī dharmātmā ca Śukadevaḥ kathaṃ jajñe? tathā sa paramāṃ siddhiṃ kathaṃ prāptavān? etad me brūhi.
Yudhiṣṭhira thưa: “Bạch Tổ phụ, bậc đại khổ hạnh và người sống theo Chánh pháp là Śukadeva đã sinh ra trong gia thất của Vyāsa như thế nào? Và Ngài đã đạt đến sự viên mãn tâm linh tối thượng ra sao? Xin Tổ phụ chỉ dạy cho con.”
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames an ethical-spiritual inquiry: true greatness is measured by tapas (disciplined austerity), dharma (righteousness), and the pursuit of the highest siddhi (ultimate realization). It signals that understanding a saint’s origin and attainment can guide one’s own path toward dharma and liberation.
In the Śānti Parva dialogue, Yudhiṣṭhira addresses Bhīṣma as ‘Pitāmaha’ and requests an account of Śukadeva—how he was born in Vyāsa’s household and how he achieved the supreme spiritual perfection—setting up Bhīṣma’s forthcoming explanation.