Shloka 30
Āśā-prabhava (आशाप्रभव) — On the Rise and Power of Hope/Expectation
Sumitra Itihāsa Begins
ब्राह्मणस्त्वब्रवीद् राजन् यस्मिन् काले क्षणो भवेत् | तदोपादेष्टुमिच्छामि यदाचर्यमनुत्तमम्
brāhmaṇas tv abravīd rājan yasmin kāle kṣaṇo bhavet | tadopadeṣṭum icchāmi yad ācaryam anuttamam ||
Le brāhmane dit : « Ô roi, au moment où tu trouveras une occasion favorable, je souhaite alors recevoir de toi l’enseignement de cette règle de conduite sans égale : le dharma suprême à pratiquer. »
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.