Shloka 2
Tapas as the Root of Attainment (तपः—साधनमूलप्रशंसा)
मोहाद् विकत्थनामात्रैरसारो5ल्ल्पबलो लघु: । वाम्भिरप्रतिरूपाभिरभिद्रुह्य पितामह
mohād vikatthanāmātrair asāro 'lpabalo laghuḥ | vām̐bhir apratirūpābhir abhidruhya pitāmaha, yudhiṣṭhira uvāca—pitāmaha! yo balavān nitya nikaṭavartī upakāra-apakāra-karaṇe samarthaś ca nityodyogaśīlaś ca, tasya śatroḥ saha yadi kaścid alpabalo 'sāraḥ sarvathā laghu-sāmarthyo janaḥ mohavaśāt śekhyāṃ baghārayan ayogyavākyair vairam bādhate, sa balavān śatruś cātikupito bhūtvā taṃ durbalaṃ puruṣam unmūlayituṃ yady abhidravati, tadā sa ākrāntaḥ puruṣaḥ svabala-mātraṃ niśritya tasya ākrāntur saha kathaṃ vyavaharet, yena tasya rakṣā syāt?
Dijo Yudhiṣṭhira: «¡Abuelo! Si un hombre de poca fuerza—vacío y de escasa consideración—por ilusión provoca enemistad con meras jactancias y palabras impropias contra un enemigo poderoso, siempre cercano, capaz de beneficiar y de dañar, y siempre diligente; y si ese fuerte adversario, encolerizado en extremo, ataca para arrancar al débil—¿cómo debe conducirse el atacado, apoyándose sólo en su limitado poder, ante el asaltante para quedar a salvo?»
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames a nīti (practical-ethical) problem: reckless speech and empty boasting can create dangerous enmity, especially against a stronger, nearby, capable adversary. It invites guidance on prudent conduct—how a weaker person should act to preserve safety when a stronger enemy is provoked.
In Śānti Parva, Yudhiṣṭhira asks Bhīṣma a policy-and-ethics question. He describes a scenario where a weak person, deluded, insults/boasts against a powerful enemy; the enemy attacks in anger. Yudhiṣṭhira seeks Bhīṣma’s counsel on the proper way for the attacked weak person to behave so as to survive and be protected.