Shloka 2
राज्ञोऽभिषेकः, अराजकदोषः, दण्डधारणस्य आवश्यकता
Royal Consecration, the Fault of Kinglessness, and the Necessity of Enforcement
भीष्म उवाच विदिता: सर्व एवेह धर्मास्तव युधिष्ठिर । यथा मम महाबाहो विदिता: साधुसम्मता:
bhīṣma uvāca | viditāḥ sarva eveha dharmās tava yudhiṣṭhira | yathā mama mahābāho viditāḥ sādhusammatāḥ ||
Bhīṣma berkata: “Wahai Yudhiṣṭhira, segala bentuk dharma yang dikenal di dunia ini sesungguhnya telah engkau ketahui. Wahai yang berlengan perkasa, dharma yang kuketahui—yang disetujui dan dimuliakan oleh orang-orang saleh—juga telah engkau ketahui.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma affirms that Yudhiṣṭhira already possesses knowledge of dharma, especially the dharmas validated by virtuous authorities (sādhus). The verse emphasizes that true dharma is not merely personal opinion but what is recognized and honored by the morally exemplary.
In the Śānti Parva’s instructional setting, Bhishma addresses Yudhiṣṭhira and frames the forthcoming counsel by acknowledging Yudhiṣṭhira’s prior understanding of righteous conduct, aligning Bhishma’s own knowledge with what Yudhiṣṭhira already knows.