Shloka 8
Adhyāya 55 — Yudhiṣṭhira’s Hesitation and Bhīṣma’s Authorization of Inquiry
Rājadharma Prelude
यो न कामाज्न संरम्भान्न भयाज्नार्थकारणात् । कुर्यादधर्म धर्मात्मा स मां पृच्छतु पाण्डव:,“जो न तो कामनासे, न क्रोधसे, न भयसे और न किसी स्वार्थके ही लोभसे अधर्म करते हैं, वे धर्मात्मा पाण्डुपुत्र युधिष्ठिर मुझसे प्रश्न करें
yo na kāmāj na saṃrambhān na bhayāj nārtha-kāraṇāt | kuryād adharmaṃ dharmātmā sa māṃ pṛcchatu pāṇḍavaḥ ||
ヴァイシャンパーヤナは言った。「法（ダルマ）に堅く立つそのパーンダヴァが、わたしに問うがよい。欲望ゆえでも、軽率な怒りゆえでも、恐れゆえでも、私利のためでもなく、アダルマを行わぬ者である。」
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
A person truly qualified to inquire into dharma is one who does not fall into wrongdoing from the four common drivers—desire, rash anger, fear, or self-interested gain. Ethical clarity begins with mastery over these motives.
Vaiśampāyana frames the ideal questioner—implicitly Yudhiṣṭhira—before proceeding with instruction in the Śānti Parva. He signals that the forthcoming teaching on dharma is meant for a ruler committed to righteousness and not swayed by passion, anger, fear, or greed.