Shloka 4
Adhyāya 290: Sāṃkhya-vidhi, Deha-doṣa, Guṇa-vicāra, and Mokṣa-gati
Bhīṣma–Yudhiṣṭhira Dialogue
भीष्मजीने कहा--युधिष्ठिर! इस विषयमें भी मैं तुम्हें पूर्ववत् एक प्राचीन प्रसंग सुनाऊँगा। एक समय महा-यशस्वी राजा जनकने महात्मा पराशर मुनिसे पूछा-- ।।
bhīṣma uvāca—yudhiṣṭhira, asmin viṣaye ’pi ahaṃ tvāṃ pūrvavat ekaṃ prācīnaṃ prasangaṃ śrāvayiṣyāmi. ekadā mahāyaśasvī rājā janakaḥ mahātmānaṃ parāśaraṃ muniṃ papraccha— “śreyaḥ sarvabhūtānām asmin loke paratra ca yad bhavet pratipattavyaṃ tad bhavān prabravītu me.”
毗湿摩说道：“尤提施提罗，关于此事我也将如前为你讲述一段古老的插曲。昔日，声名卓著的阇那迦王曾问大圣帕罗沙罗：‘噢，牟尼！何物能令一切众生于此世与彼世皆得安乐，并且确为应当了知、应当奉行之道？请为我宣说。’”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames a dharmic inquiry: the highest good (śreyas) is that which benefits all beings both in worldly life and in the hereafter, and it must be not only known but also practiced (pratipattavya).
Bhishma begins an instructive ‘ancient episode’ for Yudhishthira, introducing a past dialogue where King Janaka asks the sage Parashara to define what truly leads to universal welfare across both realms.