Shloka 2
सत्यं कि लक्षणं राजन् कथं वा तदवाप्यते । सत्यं प्राप्प भवेत् कि च कथं चैव तदुच्यताम्,राजन! सत्यका लक्षण क्या है? उसकी प्राप्ति कैसे होती है? सत्यका पालन करनेसे क्या लाभ होता है? और कैसे होता है? यह बताइये
satyaṁ ki lakṣaṇaṁ rājan kathaṁ vā tad avāpyate | satyaṁ prāpya bhavet kiṁ ca kathaṁ caiva tad ucyatām ||
Yudhiṣṭhira said: “O King, what is the defining mark of truth? By what means is it attained? Having embraced truth, what benefit arises from it—and in what manner does that come about? Please explain this to me.”
युधिषछ्िर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames a dharma-inquiry: truth (satya) is not treated as a mere statement of facts, but as a moral principle with (1) a recognizable defining mark, (2) a practical means of attainment, and (3) concrete fruits that follow from living by it.
In the Shanti Parva’s instructional setting, Yudhiṣṭhira—seeking clarity on righteous conduct—addresses a kingly authority and asks for a systematic explanation of satya: its characteristics, how one comes to it, and what results from its observance.