nivṛtte - when it ended; bhārate - of the descendants of Bhārata (the Kurus and Pāṇḍavas); yuddhe - the war; suhṛt - of his beloved well-wishers; nidhana - by the destruction; vihvalaḥ - overwhelmed; śrutvā - having heard; dharmān - religious principles; bahūn - many; paścāt - at last; mokṣa - concerning liberation; dharmān - religious principles; apṛcchata - asked about.

When the great Battle of Kurukṣetra had ended, King Yudhiṣṭhira was overwhelmed by the death of many beloved well-wishers, and thus, after listening to instructions about many religious principles, he finally inquired about the path of liberation.