Shloka 1

आशा-कृशता उपाख्यानम्

The Episode on the Emaciation Caused by Hope

Devanagari script

भीकम (2 अमान पजञ्चविशर्त्याधिकशततमो< ध्याय: युधिष्ठिरका आशाविषयक प्रश्न--उत्तरमें राजा सुमित्र और ऋषभ नामक ऋषिके इतिहासका आरम्भ

Transliteration

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca |

śīlaṁ pradhānaṁ puruṣe kathitaṁ te pitāmaha |

kathaṁ tv āśā samutpannā yā cāśā tad vadasva me ||

Translation

যুধিষ্ঠিৰে ক’লে—পিতামহ! আপুনি মানুহৰ ভিতৰত শীলকেই প্রধান বুলি কৈছে। এতিয়া মোক কওক—আশা কেনেকৈ উৎপন্ন হ’ল? আৰু ‘আশা’ বুলিলে কি বুজায়? সেয়াও মোক জনাওক।

Word by Word

• युधिष्ठिरः: Yudhiṣṭhira
• युधिष्ठिरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: युधिष्ठिर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• शीलम्: conduct/character
• शीलम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शील
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• प्रधानम्: chief, foremost
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रधान
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• पुरुषे: in a man/person
• पुरुषे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• कथितम्: told/declared
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथ्
• Form: Past Passive Participle (क्त), Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• ते: to you
• ते: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Dative, Singular

• पितामह: O grandsire
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितामह
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• कथम्: how?
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम्

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• आशा: hope/desire/expectation
• आशा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: आशा
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• समुत्पन्ना: arisen, originated
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-उत्-पद्
• Form: Past Active Participle (क्तवतु/क्त), Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• या: which
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• आशा: hope
• Type: Noun
• Root: आशा
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• तत्: that (i.e., its nature)
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• वदस्व: tell (me)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद्
• Form: Imperative, Second, Singular, Parasmaipada

• मे: to me
• मे: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Dative, Singular

Speaker

युधिछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Pitāmaha (Bhīṣma)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames an ethical hierarchy: Yudhiṣṭhira accepts that śīla (moral character) is primary, and then probes āśā (hope/expectation) as a powerful inner force that can support dharma or distort it. The teaching setup is that understanding the origin and nature of hope is necessary for self-governance and ethical living.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s instruction section, Yudhiṣṭhira questions Bhīṣma (addressed as Pitāmaha). After hearing that good conduct is paramount, he asks a follow-up philosophical question: how hope arises and what it truly is, inviting Bhīṣma to begin a deeper explanation (which the chapter proceeds to develop).