श्रीयुधिष्ठिर उवाच भगवन् श्रोतुमिच्छामि नृणां धर्मं सनातनम् । वर्णाश्रमाचारयुतं यत्पुमान्विन्दते परम् ॥ २ ॥
sri-yudhisthira uvaca bhagavan srotum icchami nrnam dharmam sanatanam varnasramacara-yutam yat puman vindate param
- sri-yudhisthirah uvaca
- Maharaja Yudhisthira inquired
- bhagavan
- O my lord
- srotum
- to hear
- icchami
- I wish
- nrnam
- of human society
- dharmam
- the occupational duties
- sanatanam
- common and eternal (for everyone)
- varna-asrama-acara-yutam
- based on the principles of the four divisions of society and the four divisions of spiritual advancement
- yat
- from which
- puman
- the people in general
- vindate
- can enjoy very peacefully
- param
- the supreme knowledge (by which one can attain devotional service)
Maharaja Yudhisthira said: My dear lord, I wish to hear from you about the principles of religion by which one can attain the ultimate goal of life—devotional service. I wish to hear about the general occupational duties of human society and the system of social and spiritual advancement known as varnasrama-dharma.