Shloka 2
Ānṛśaṃsya, Amātya-Guṇa, and Reconciliatory Counsel (आनृशंस्य–अमात्यगुण–संधि-उपदेशः)
पुरस्तादेव भगवन् मयैतदपवर्जितम् । येन मां नाभिशड्केत येन कृत्स्नं हितं॑ भवेत्
purastād eva bhagavan mayaitad apavarjitam | yena māṁ nābhiśaṅketa yena kṛtsnaṁ hitaṁ bhavet ||
Bhishma said: “O Blessed one, I had already renounced this beforehand—so that no one might suspect me, and so that the complete welfare of all could be secured.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Ethical authority depends on self-restraint: one should renounce conduct that invites suspicion, so that one’s life becomes a source of complete welfare for others.
In Shanti Parva, Bhishma is instructing on dharma and right conduct; here he states that he has already given up certain blameworthy tendencies so that no distrust arises and the common good is fully served.