Shloka 30
Āśā-prabhava (आशाप्रभव) — On the Rise and Power of Hope/Expectation
Sumitra Itihāsa Begins
ब्राह्मणस्त्वब्रवीद् राजन् यस्मिन् काले क्षणो भवेत् | तदोपादेष्टुमिच्छामि यदाचर्यमनुत्तमम्,यह सुनकर ब्राह्मणने कहा--'राजन! जब आपको अवसर मिले, उसी समय मैं आपसे सर्वोत्तम आचरणीय धर्मका उपदेश ग्रहण करना चाहता हूँ"
brāhmaṇas tv abravīd rājan yasmin kāle kṣaṇo bhavet | tadopadeṣṭum icchāmi yad ācaryam anuttamam ||
The brāhmaṇa said, “O King, whenever you find a suitable opportunity, then I wish to receive from you instruction in that unsurpassed rule of conduct—the highest dharma to be practiced.”
घतयाट्र उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse emphasizes readiness for ethical instruction: when the king has the proper occasion, the brāhmaṇa will impart the highest, unsurpassed standard of conduct (anuttama ācāra), highlighting that dharma is best taught and received at an appropriate moment.
In the Shānti Parva’s didactic setting, a brāhmaṇa addresses a king and signals his intention to teach him supreme practical dharma, requesting only that the king provide the right opportunity/time to receive the instruction.