Shloka 2
कण्वोपदेशः—नश्वरबलविवेकः तथा मातलिगुणकेश्याः आख्यानारम्भः
Kaṇva’s Counsel on Impermanent Power; Opening of the Mātali–Guṇakeśī Narrative
वक्रिदुत्तरमेतेषां वक्तुं नोत्सहते पुमान् इति सर्वे मनोभिस्ते चिन्तयन्ति सम पार्थिवा:,वे सब भूपाल मन-ही-मन यह सोचने लगे कि भगवान्के इन वचनोंका उत्तर कोई भी मनुष्य नहीं दे सकता है
vakriduttaram eteṣāṁ vaktuṁ notsahate pumān iti sarve manobhis te cintayanti sma pārthivāḥ
ヴァイシャンパーヤナは語った。その言葉を聞くや、諸王は胸中でこう思い巡らした。「この御言葉にふさわしい返答を組み立てる勇気を、人は誰も持ち得ぬ。」それは、語り手の道義の威力と政治的威勢が凡庸な論争を沈黙させ、支配者たちに口で争うのではなく、己が心でダルマを量らせた瞬間であった。
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
When speech cannot meet the weight of dharma, restraint and inward reflection become the proper response; moral authority can render mere rhetoric powerless.
After hearing a forceful statement, the assembled kings do not answer aloud; instead they privately conclude that no human can give an adequate counter-reply and they silently deliberate.