Shloka 2
प्रस्थाने वा प्रवेशे वा प्रवृत्ते वापि कर्मणि । दैवे वा श्राद्धकाले वा कि जप्यं कर्मसाधनम्
Yudhiṣṭhira uvāca: prasthāne vā praveśe vā pravṛtte vāpi karmaṇi | daive vā śrāddhakāle vā kiṁ japyaṁ karmasādhanam ||
Yudhiṣṭhira sprach: „Beim Aufbruch zu einer Reise, beim Betreten eines Hauses oder beim Beginn irgendeines Vorhabens; ebenso bei Riten für die Götter oder zur Zeit des Śrāddha für die Ahnen — was soll man als Japa rezitieren, damit die beabsichtigte Handlung erfolgreich vollendet wird?“
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames a dharma-question: in varied life-situations—travel, entering a home, starting work, worship of the gods, and śrāddha—one should rely on an appropriate sacred recitation (japa) as a disciplined means to align action with auspiciousness and right performance.
In the Anuśāsana Parva’s instruction-focused dialogue, Yudhiṣṭhira asks an elder authority what mantra or recitation should be used across common rites and transitions so that the intended religious or practical act reaches completion without obstacle.