Shloka 2
अज्ञान–लोभयोः परस्परहेतुत्वम्
Mutual Causality of Ignorance and Greed
शौनकने कहा--राजन्! तुमने ऐसी प्रतिज्ञा की है, इससे जान पड़ता है कि तुम्हारा मन पापकी ओरसे निवृत्त हो गया है; इसलिये मैं तुम्हें धर्मका उपदेश करूँगा; क्योंकि तुम श्रीसम्पन्न, महाबलवान् और संतुष्टचित हो। साथ ही स्वयं धर्मपर दृष्टि रखते हो ।। पुरस्ताद् दारुणो भूत्वा सुचित्रतरमेव तत् | अनुगृह्नाति भूतानि स्वेन वृत्तेन पार्थिव:,राजा पहले कठोर स्वभावका होकर पीछे कोमल भावका अवलम्बन करके जो अपने सदव्यवहारसे समस्त प्राणियों पर अनुग्रह करता है, वह अत्यन्त आश्वर्यकी ही बात है
śaunaka uvāca—rājan! tvayā īdṛśī pratijñā kṛtā; tasmāt pratīyate yat tava manaḥ pāpāt nivṛttam. ataḥ ahaṃ te dharmam upadiśāmi; yataḥ tvaṃ śrī-sampannaḥ, mahā-balavān, saṃtuṣṭa-cittaś ca; sārdhaṃ ca svayaṃ dharme dṛṣṭiṃ dharasi. purastād dāruṇo bhūtvā su-citrataram eva tat | anugṛhṇāti bhūtāni svena vṛttena pārthivaḥ ||
Śaunaka said: “O King, since you have made such a vow, it appears that your mind has turned away from sin. Therefore I shall instruct you in dharma—for you are endowed with prosperity, great strength, and a contented heart, and you yourself keep your gaze fixed upon righteousness. Indeed, it is a striking thing when a ruler, having first been harsh, later adopts gentleness and, by his own upright conduct, shows favor and protection to all living beings.”
शौनक उवाच
Educational Q&A
A ruler’s true excellence lies in turning away from wrongdoing and governing through dharma: even if once severe, the king becomes admirable when he adopts gentleness and benefits all beings through upright personal conduct.
Śaunaka addresses a king who has taken a morally significant vow, infers that the king’s mind has withdrawn from sin, and therefore begins to teach dharma, praising the rare transformation of a harsh ruler into a compassionate protector.