Shloka 15
आदि पर्व — अध्याय ५५: पाण्डव-कौरववैरस्य संक्षेपवृत्तान्तः
Synopsis of the Pāṇḍava–Kaurava Estrangement
यमो यथा धर्मविनिश्चयज्ञ: कृष्णो यथा सर्वगुणोपपन्न: । श्रियां निवासोडसि यथा वसूनां निधानभूतो5सि तथा क्रतूनाम्,तुम यमराजकी भाँति धर्मके निश्चित सिद्धान्तको जाननेवाले हो। भगवान् श्रीकृष्णकी भाँति सर्वगुणसम्पन्न हो। वसुगणोंके पास जो सम्पत्तियाँ हैं, वैसी ही सम्पदाओंके तुम निवासस्थान हो तथा यज्ञोंकी तो तुम साक्षात् निधि ही हो
yamo yathā dharmaviniścayajñaḥ kṛṣṇo yathā sarvaguṇopapannaḥ | śriyāṃ nivāso ’si yathā vasūnāṃ nidhānabhūto ’si tathā kratūnām ||
阿斯提迦以至高的正法与卓越为准绳，赞颂面前之人：如阎摩（Yama）洞悉法（dharma）之终极裁断，汝亦能确然辨定正法；如黑天（Kṛṣṇa）具足一切德行，汝亦诸德圆满。又如八位婆苏（Vasu）被称为福泽之所依，汝亦为吉祥财富之居处；至于祭祀（yajña）诸仪，汝更是其宝藏——功德之库、福报之体。
आस्तीक उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse elevates dharma as a decisive, knowable standard (like Yama’s judgment) and links true excellence to comprehensive virtue (like Kṛṣṇa). It also ties ethical order to prosperity and to the integrity of sacrificial duty, suggesting that moral authority sustains both worldly well-being and sacred practice.
Āstīka is offering formal praise (stuti) to the powerful being before him, using renowned exemplars—Yama for dharma-judgment, Kṛṣṇa for complete virtue, the Vasus for prosperity, and sacrifices for merit—to honor him and establish his worthiness and beneficent stature in the unfolding episode.