Shloka 2
Śānti-parva 168: Śoka-nivṛtti-buddhi (The Cognition that Reduces Grief) and Piṅgalā’s Nairāśya
धर्मे चार्थे च कामे च लोकवृत्ति: समाहिता । तेषां गरीयान् कतमो मध्यम: को लघुश्न कः,“'लोगोंकी प्रवृत्ति प्राय: धर्म, अर्थ और कामकी ओर होती है। इन तीनोंमें कौन सबसे श्रेष्ठ कौन मध्यम और कौन लघु है?”
dharme cārthe ca kāme ca lokavṛttiḥ samāhitā | teṣāṃ garīyān katamo madhyamaḥ ko laghuś ca kaḥ ||
毗舍波耶那说道：“世人寻常的趋向，多指向达摩（正行）、阿尔塔（物质福祉）与迦摩（欲望与享受）。在这三者之中，何者为最上，何者居中，何者为最下？”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames an ethical inquiry into the hierarchy of the three human aims—dharma, artha, and kāma—inviting a principled evaluation of what should govern human life when these aims compete.
Vaiśampāyana introduces a reflective question typical of the Śānti Parva’s instruction: since people pursue dharma, wealth, and pleasure, the discussion now turns to determining their relative importance—what should be regarded as highest, middling, and lowest.