Shloka 2
Ālasyadoṣa-nirdeśa (On the Fault of Negligence) — The Camel’s Long-Neck Exemplum
भीष्म उवाच हन्त ते5हं प्रवक्ष्यामि शृणु कार्यकनिश्चयम् । यथा राज्ञेह कर्तव्यं यच्च कृत्वा सुखी भवेत्,भीष्मजीने कहा--नरेश्वर! राजाका जो कर्तव्य है और जो कुछ करके वह सुखी हो सकता है, उस कार्यका निश्चय करके अब मैं तुम्हें बतलाता हूँ, उसे सुनो
bhīṣma uvāca: hanta te 'haṃ pravakṣyāmi śṛṇu kārya-niścayam | yathā rājñeha kartavyaṃ yac ca kṛtvā sukhī bhavet ||
Bhishma said: “Come, I shall declare to you—listen with attention—the settled determination about what must be done: what a king ought to do here in this world, and what, when done, enables him to become truly content and well.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma frames his discourse as a clear, practical determination (kārya-niścaya) of royal duty: what a king must do and what conduct leads to lasting well-being, implying that happiness for a ruler is grounded in dharma-informed governance rather than mere power.
In the Shanti Parva’s instructional setting, Bhishma begins a new segment of counsel, announcing that he will explain to the king the proper course of action—how a ruler should act in the world and what deeds bring true contentment.