Shloka 2
Gautama’s Flight, the Enchanted Grove, and the Arrival of Rājadharma
Nāḍījaṅgha
सत्यं कि लक्षणं राजन् कथं वा तदवाप्यते । सत्यं प्राप्प भवेत् कि च कथं चैव तदुच्यताम्
satyaṁ ki lakṣaṇaṁ rājan kathaṁ vā tad avāpyate | satyaṁ prāpya bhavet kiṁ ca kathaṁ caiva tad ucyatām ||
ຢຸທິສຖິຣ ກ່າວວ່າ: «ໂອ ພຣະຣາຊາ, ລັກສະນະຂອງຄວາມຈິງແມ່ນຫຍັງ? ແລ້ວຈະບັນລຸມັນໄດ້ໂດຍວິທີໃດ? ເມື່ອຍຶດຖືຄວາມຈິງແລ້ວ ຜົນປະໂຫຍດອັນໃດຈຶ່ງເກີດຂຶ້ນ—ແລະເກີດຂຶ້ນແນວໃດ? ຂໍຈົ່ງອະທິບາຍໃຫ້ຂ້ອຍ»។
युधिषछ्िर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames a dharma-inquiry: truth (satya) is not treated as a mere statement of facts, but as a moral principle with (1) a recognizable defining mark, (2) a practical means of attainment, and (3) concrete fruits that follow from living by it.
In the Shanti Parva’s instructional setting, Yudhiṣṭhira—seeking clarity on righteous conduct—addresses a kingly authority and asks for a systematic explanation of satya: its characteristics, how one comes to it, and what results from its observance.