Shloka 2
Bhīṣma Parva, Adhyāya 4 — Dhṛtarāṣṭra–Vyāsa Saṃvāda on Kāla and Jayalakṣaṇa
Signs of Victory
स मुहूर्तमिव ध्यात्वा विनि:श्वस्य मुहुर्मुहुः । संजयं संशितात्मानमपृच्छद् भरतर्षभ,भरतश्रेष्ठ) दो घड़ीतक सोचने-विचारनेके पश्चात् बारंबार लंबी साँस खींचते हुए उन्होंने विशुद्ध हृदयवाले संजयसे पूछा--
sa muhūrtam iva dhyātvā viniḥśvasya muhur muhuḥ | sañjayaṃ saṃśitātmānam apṛcchad bharatarṣabhaḥ ||
Vaiśampāyana said: After reflecting for what seemed like a moment, and repeatedly drawing deep, heavy breaths, the bull among the Bharatas questioned Sañjaya, whose mind was disciplined and steady—signaling the king’s inner strain as he turns to truthful counsel amid the moral weight of impending war.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical role of steady-minded counsel in times of crisis: a ruler burdened by fear and responsibility turns to a disciplined witness (Sañjaya). It implicitly values self-control (saṃśitātman) and truthful reporting as supports for dharma when emotions threaten clear judgment.
Within Vaiśampāyana’s narration, Dhṛtarāṣṭra pauses to reflect, repeatedly sighs in distress, and then asks Sañjaya a question. The scene sets Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s anxious state and frames Sañjaya as the reliable reporter of events on the battlefield.