Shloka 4

Śreyas-nirdeśa (Discerning the Superior Good): Nārada–Gālava Saṃvāda

Devanagari script

सो<ब्रवीत्‌ पितरं पुत्र: स्वाध्यायकरणे रतम्‌ | मोक्षधर्मेष्वकुशलं मोक्षधर्मविचक्षण:

Transliteration

so ’bravīt pitaram putraḥ svādhyāya-karaṇe ratam | mokṣa-dharmeṣv akuśalaṃ mokṣa-dharma-vicakṣaṇaḥ ||

Translation

毗湿摩说道：“那儿子通达解脱之法，便对其父开口——其父虽恒常勤于诵习吠陀，却不甚谙熟有关解脱（mokṣa）的教义。因深知解脱之道，儿子遂向父亲发问。”

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अब्रवीत्: said/spoke
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू
• Form: Imperfect (Lan), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• पितरम्: father
• पितरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• पुत्रः: son
• पुत्रः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• स्वाध्यायकरणे: in the performance of self-study
• स्वाध्यायकरणे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वाध्याय-करण
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• रतम्: engaged/absorbed
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रत
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• मोक्षधर्मेषु: in the doctrines of liberation
• मोक्षधर्मेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोक्ष-धर्म
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Plural

• अकुशलम्: unskilled
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अकुशल
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• मोक्षधर्मविचक्षणः: skilled/wise in the doctrine of liberation
• मोक्षधर्मविचक्षणः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मोक्ष-धर्म-विचक्षण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma (speaker)
• son (putra)
• father (pitṛ)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse contrasts mere devotion to svādhyāya (scriptural study/recitation) with true proficiency in mokṣa-dharma (the discipline leading to liberation), implying that spiritual knowledge must mature into liberative understanding, not remain only at the level of study.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma introduces a scene where a son, knowledgeable about moksha, speaks to his father who is devoted to Vedic study but lacks expertise in liberation-teachings; the son’s question initiates a didactic exchange on mokṣa-dharma.