Āśā-prabhava (आशाप्रभव) — On the Rise and Power of Hope/Expectation
Sumitra Itihāsa Begins
भीष्म उवाच एवमुकक््त्वा गता श्रीस्तु ते च सर्वे युधिष्ठिर । दुर्योधनस्तु पितरं भूय एवाब्रवीद् वच:
bhīṣma uvāca evam uktvā gatā śrīs tu te ca sarve yudhiṣṭhira | duryodhanas tu pitaraṃ bhūya evābravīd vacaḥ ||
ພີສະມະກ່າວວ່າ: «ໂອ ຢຸທິສຖິຣ, ເມື່ອນາງສຣີ (ລັກສະມີ) ເວົ້າດັ່ງນັ້ນແລ້ວ ນາງກໍຈາກໄປ; ແລະຄຸນຄວາມດີທັງຫຼາຍນັ້ນກໍໄປກັບນາງດ້ວຍ. ເມື່ອດຸຣະໂຢທະນະໄດ້ຟັງເລື່ອງນີ້ ກໍກ່າວກັບບິດາອີກຄັ້ງວ່າ: ‘ໂອ ຜູ້ສືບສາຍກຸຣຸ, ຂ້າປາຖະນາຮູ້ແກ່ນແທ້ຂອງ śīla. ຂໍທ່ານບອກຂ້າດ້ວຍເຖິງວິທີທີ່ຈະໄດ້ມາຊຶ່ງ śīla’»។
भीष्म उवाच
Prosperity (Śrī) is portrayed as inseparable from virtues; when ethical qualities and good conduct decline, fortune departs as well. The verse frames śīla (character) as a foundational value worth seeking and cultivating through proper means.
Bhīṣma continues narrating to Yudhiṣṭhira: after a prior speech, Śrī and accompanying virtues depart. Hearing this story, Duryodhana turns again to his father and asks to be taught what śīla truly is and how it can be acquired.