Shloka 17
Gārhasthya-Śreṣṭhatā and Kṣatriya-Daṇḍadhāraṇa
Householder Primacy and the Royal Duty of Punishment
सुना जाता है कि राजर्षि सुद्युम्नने दण्डधारणके द्वारा ही प्रचेताकुमार दक्षके समान परम सिद्धि प्राप्त कर ली ।।
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca | bhagavan karmaṇā kena sudyumno vasudhādhipaḥ | saṁsiddhiṁ paramāṁ prāptaḥ śrotum icchāmi taṁ nṛpam ||
尤提士提罗说道：“尊者啊，大地之主苏底尤姆那王是凭借何种行为而获得至高圆满的？我愿听闻那位国王的事迹。”
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames spiritual perfection (saṁsiddhi) as something attained through specific, accountable action (karma), and it models the dharmic method of learning: respectful inquiry into the causes of exemplary conduct and success.
In the Śānti Parva dialogue, Yudhiṣṭhira addresses a revered teacher and asks to hear the story of King Sudyumna—specifically, which deed enabled him to reach the highest accomplishment—thereby introducing a didactic account about righteous rule and disciplined action.