युधिष्ठिर उवाच धर्माः पितामहेनोक्ता मोक्षधर्माश्रिताः शुभाः। धर्ममाश्रमिणां श्रेष्ठं वक्तुमर्हति मे भवान्।॥
Yudhishthira said You have, O grandfather, described to us the duties belonging to the Religion of Liberation. You should now tell us what the foremost duties are of persons belonging to the several modes of life.
भीष्म उवाच सर्वत्र विहितो धर्मः स्वर्गः सत्यफलं महत्। बहुद्वारस्य धर्मस्य नेहास्ति विफला क्रिया॥
Bhishma said “The duties ordained with regard to every mode of life are capable, if well performed, of leading to heaven and the high fruit of Truth. Duties have many doors, and none of the practices enjoined by them fails to produce the desired effect.
यस्मिन् यस्मिनश्च विषये यो यो याति विनिश्चयम्। स तमेवाभिजानाति नान्यं भरतसत्तम॥
Whoever adopts a class of duties with steady and firm faith, praises the duties adopted by him to the exclusion of the rest, О chief of Bharata's race.
इमां च त्वं नरव्याघ्र श्रोतुमर्हसि मे कथाम्। पुरा शक्रस्य कथितां नारदेन महर्षिणा॥
This particular subject, however, which you wish me to describe was in days of yore the subject of conversation between the celestial Rishi Narada and the king of the gods, viz., Indra.
महर्षिारदो राजन् सिद्धस्त्रैलोक्यसम्मतः। पर्येति क्रमशो लोकान् वायुरव्याहतो यथा॥
The great Rishi Narada, O king, adored of all the world, has been crowned with success. He wanders through all the worlds unimpeded, like the all-pervading wind itself.
स कदाचिन्महेष्वास देवराजालयं गतः। सत्कृतश्च महेन्द्रेण प्रत्यासन्नगतोऽभवत्॥
Once upon a time he went to the abode of Indra. Duly honoured by the king of the gods, he sat close to his host.
तं कृतक्षणमासीनं पर्यपृच्छच्छचीपतिः। महर्षे किंचिदाश्चर्यमस्ति दृष्टं त्वयानघ॥
Seeing him seated at his ease and free from exhaustion, the husband of Shachi addressed him, saying,-O great Rishi, is there any thing wonderful that has been seen by you, O sinless one?
यदा त्वमपि विप्रर्षे त्रैलोक्यं सचराचरम्। जातकौतूहलो नित्यं सिद्धश्चरसि साक्षिवत्॥
O twice-born Rishi, crowned with ascetic success, you walk about moved by curiosity, through the universe of mobile and immobile objects, seeing all things.
न ह्यस्त्यविदितं लोके देवर्षे तव किंचन। श्रुतं वाप्यनुभूतं वा दृष्टं वा कथयस्व मे॥
O celestial Rishi, there is nothing in the universe which you do not know. Do you tell me, therefore, of any wonderful event which you may have seen, or heard of, or felt.
तस्मै राजन् सुरेन्द्राय नारदो वदतां वरः। आसीनायोपपन्नाय प्रोक्तवान् विपुलां कथाम्॥
Thus questioned, Narada, that foremost of speakers, O king, then began to recite to the king of the gods the extensive history that follows.
यथा येन च कल्पेन स तस्मै द्विजसत्तमः। कथां कथितवान् पृष्टस्तथा त्वमपि मे शृणु॥
Listen now to me as I recount that story which Narada told before Indra. I shall describe it in the same way in which the celestial Rishi had described it, and for the same purpose that he had in view.”