Shloka 2
आशा-कृशता उपाख्यानम्
The Episode on the Emaciation Caused by Hope
संशयो मे महानेष समुत्पन्न: पितामह । छेत्ता च तस्य नान्यो<स्ति त्वत्त: परपुरञज्जय
Yudhiṣṭhira uvāca — saṁśayo me mahān eṣa samutpannaḥ pitāmaha | chettā ca tasya nānyo 'sti tvattaḥ parapurañjaya ||
ಪಿತಾಮಹನೇ! ನನ್ನ ಮನಸ್ಸಿನಲ್ಲಿ ಈ ಮಹಾಸಂಶಯ ಉದ್ಭವಿಸಿದೆ. ಪರಪುರಂಜಯನೇ (ಪರರ ನಗರಗಳನ್ನು ಜಯಿಸಿದವನೇ)! ಇದನ್ನು ಕತ್ತರಿಸಿ ನಿವಾರಿಸುವವನು ನಿಮ್ಮ ಹೊರತು ಮತ್ತಾರೂ ಇಲ್ಲ।
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the proper dharmic approach to moral uncertainty: when a profound doubt arises, one should seek clarification from a trustworthy, experienced authority—here, Bhīṣma—rather than acting on confusion or impulse.
In the Śānti Parva dialogue, Yudhiṣṭhira addresses Bhīṣma respectfully and admits a major inner doubt. He asks Bhīṣma to resolve it, affirming that no one else is as capable of dispelling his uncertainty.