Shanti Parva Adhyaya 161 Shloka 1 - Mahabharata | Chinese | Vedapath

Vyasa

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Shloka 1

त्रिवर्गविचारः

Tri-varga Deliberation: Dharma, Artha, Kāma

Devanagari script

अपने-आप बछ। अ--काजज षष्टर्याधिकशततमो< ध्याय: मन और इन्ट्रियोंके संयमरूप दमका माहात्म्य युधिछिर उवाच स्वाध्याये कृतयत्नस्य नरस्य च पितामह । धर्मकामस्य धर्मात्मन्‌ कि नु श्रेय इहोच्यते

Transliteration

Yudhiṣṭhira uvāca—svādhyāye kṛta-yatnasya narasya ca pitāmaha | dharma-kāmasya dharmātman kiṃ nu śreya iha ucyate ||

Translation

尤提施提罗说道：“祖父啊，具足正法之心者——若有人勤勉于自修自学（svādhyāya，自诵圣典、内省修习），并愿依达摩而行，那么在此世间，对他所宣说的至上之善（śreyas）究竟是什么？”

Word by Word

युधिष्ठिरःYudhiṣṭhira

उवाचsaid/spoke

स्वाध्यायेin/with regard to self-study (Vedic study)

कृतयत्नस्यof one who has made effort / is diligent

नरस्यof a man/person

चand

पितामहO grandsire (Bhīṣma)

धर्मकामस्यof one who desires dharma / intent on righteousness

धर्मात्मन्O righteous-souled one

किम्what

नुindeed/then (interrogative particle)

श्रेयःthe good, the highest benefit

इहhere (in this world)

उच्यतेis said/declared

Speaker

युधिछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

Yudhiṣṭhira

Bhīṣma (Pitāmaha)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames a dharmic inquiry: for one committed to svādhyāya (disciplined study) and eager to practice dharma, what constitutes true śreyas—practical and moral well-being in this life.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva dialogue, Yudhiṣṭhira addresses Bhīṣma as ‘Grandfather’ and asks him to define the highest good for a person devoted to sacred study and righteous living, setting up Bhīṣma’s instruction on ethical discipline.