Shloka 2

Devanagari script

भीष्म उवाच वस्तव्यं यत्र कौन्तेय सपुत्रज्ञातिबन्धुना । न्याय्यं तत्र परिप्रष्टं वृत्ति गुप्तिंच भारत,भीष्मजीने कहा--भारत! कुन्तीनन्दन! पुत्र, कुटुम्बीजन तथा बन्धुवर्गके साथ राजा जिस नगरमें निवास करे, उसमें जीवन-निर्वाह तथा रक्षाकी व्यवस्थाके सम्बन्धमें तुम्हारा प्रश्न करना न्यायसड्भत है

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca: vastavyaṁ yatra kaunteya saputra-jñāti-bandhunā | nyāyyaṁ tatra paripraṣṭaṁ vṛtti-guptiṁ ca bhārata ||

Translation

ビーシュマは言った。「クンティの子よ、バーラタよ。王が子ら、親族、同盟者とともに住まう都においては、その生業の道と守りの備えについて汝が問いただすのは、まことに正しく、法にかなう。」

Word by Word

भीष्मःBhishma

उवाचsaid

वस्तव्यम्is to be dwelt (one should reside)

यत्रwhere

कौन्तेयO son of Kunti

सपुत्रज्ञातिबन्धुनाtogether with sons, kinsmen, and relatives

न्याय्यम्proper, justified

तत्रthere, in that place/context

परिप्रष्टम्to be asked (to be inquired about)

वृत्तिम्livelihood, means of subsistence

गुप्तिम्protection, security

चand

भारतO Bharata (descendant of Bharata)

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhishma

Yudhishthira (Kaunteya, Bharata)

sons (putra)

kinsmen (jñāti)

relations/allies (bandhu)

king (implied)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Bhishma affirms that questions about a ruler’s arrangements for people’s livelihood (vṛtti) and security (gupti) are not intrusive but ethically appropriate; good governance requires transparent, just provision for sustenance and protection where the king and his household reside.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva dialogue on kingship and dharma, Bhishma responds to Yudhishthira, validating his inquiry: in any city where the king lives with his sons and kin, it is right to ask how maintenance and protection are organized.