Shloka 2
Nīti-upadeśa to a Rājaputra: Self-restraint, Alliances, and Rival-Management (नीतिउपदेशः)
तां चेच्छक्नोषि निर्मातुं कर्म चैव करिष्यसि । शृणु सर्वमशेषेण यत् त्वां वक्ष्यामि तत्त्वतः
tāṃ cecchaknoṣi nirmātuṃ karma caiva kariṣyasi | śṛṇu sarvam aśeṣeṇa yat tvāṃ vakṣyāmi tattvataḥ ||
ビーシュマは言った。「もし汝がその方策を実際の行いとして成し遂げ、しかもそのとおりに振る舞うことができるのなら、よく聞け——一つも漏らさず、余すところなく——私が汝に真実のままに語るすべてを。」
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Ethical counsel must be implemented, not merely heard: if the listener can translate the stated nīti into action, Bhishma will present the guidance fully and truthfully.
In the Shanti Parva’s instructional setting, Bhishma addresses his interlocutor as a teacher, inviting attentive listening and emphasizing practical application before he proceeds with a complete exposition of policy/dharma.