Shloka 1
Jñāna-plava (The Raft of Knowledge): Svabhāva, Prajñā, and the Ascent to Ātmajñāna
हि ही बछ। हि मा एकोनत्रिशर्दाधिकद्धिशततमो< ध्याय: जैगीषव्यका असित-देवलको समत्वबुद्धिका उपदेश युधिछिर उवाच किंशील: किंसमाचार: किंविद्य: किंपराक्रम: । प्राप्रोति ब्रह्मण: स्थान यत्परं प्रकृतेर्ध्ुवम्
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca | kiṃśīlaḥ kiṃsamācāraḥ kiṃvidyaḥ kiṃparākramaḥ | prāpnoti brahmaṇaḥ sthānaṃ yat paraṃ prakṛter dhruvam ||
由提湿提罗问道：“噢，祖父！人当具何等品性、何等行持、何等知识，以及何等受戒律锻炼的力量，方能证得梵（Brahman）之境——至上、超越物质自然（Prakṛti）、而不坏不灭？”
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames liberation as dependent on an integrated fourfold qualification—ethical character (śīla), disciplined conduct (samācāra), liberating knowledge (vidyā), and steadfast strength/effort (parākrama)—leading to realization of the imperishable Brahman beyond prakṛti.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction setting, Yudhiṣṭhira asks the elder teacher (contextually Bhīṣma) to define the qualities and way of life by which a person transcends material nature and attains the supreme Brahman-state.