nivritte -- when it ended; bharate -- of the descendants of Bharata (the Kurus and Pandavas); yuddhe -- the war; suhrit -- of his beloved well-wishers; nidhana -- by the destruction; vihvalah -- overwhelmed; srutva -- having heard; dharman -- religious principles; bahun -- many; pascat -- at last; moksha -- concerning liberation; dharman -- religious principles; apricchata -- asked about.

When the great Battle of Kurukshetra had ended, King Yudhishthira 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.