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 ||
Mendengar itu sang brāhmaṇa berkata, “Wahai Raja, kapan pun engkau memiliki kesempatan, pada saat itulah aku ingin menerima ajaran tentang dharma yang tiada banding untuk dipraktikkan.”
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.