Shloka 2

Adhyāya 55 — Yudhiṣṭhira’s Hesitation and Bhīṣma’s Authorization of Inquiry

Rājadharma Prelude

Devanagari script

युधिष्िरस्तु धर्मात्मा मां धर्माननुपच्छतु । एवं प्रीतो भविष्यामि धर्मान्‌ वक्ष्यामि चाखिलान्‌

Transliteration

yudhiṣṭhiras tu dharmātmā māṃ dharmān anupṛcchatu | evaṃ prīto bhaviṣyāmi dharmān vakṣyāmi cākhilān ||

Translation

वैशंपायन म्हणाले—धर्मात्मा युधिष्ठिराने मला धर्मांविषयी एकामागून एक प्रश्न विचारावेत. असे केल्याने मी प्रसन्न होईन आणि संपूर्ण धर्माचा यथार्थ उपदेश करीन॥

Word by Word

• युधिष्ठिरः: Yudhishthira
• युधिष्ठिरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: युधिष्ठिर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• धर्मात्मा: righteous-souled
• धर्मात्मा: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्मात्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Accusative, Singular

• धर्मान्: duties/laws (dharmas)
• धर्मान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• अनुपृच्छतु: let (him) ask (in sequence)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु-प्रच्छ्
• Form: Imperative, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• एवम्: thus/in this way
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम्

• प्रीतः: pleased
• प्रीतः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रीत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• भविष्यामि: I shall be/become
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू
• Form: Simple Future (Luṭ), First, Singular, Parasmaipada

• धर्मान्: duties/laws (dharmas)
• धर्मान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• वक्ष्यामि: I shall speak/teach
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Simple Future (Luṭ), First, Singular, Parasmaipada

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• अखिलान्: all/entire
• अखिलान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अखिल
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśaṃpāyana
• Yudhiṣṭhira

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Dharma is best learned through disciplined inquiry: a qualified seeker (Yudhiṣṭhira, ‘dharmātmā’) should ask systematically, and the teacher responds comprehensively, pleased by sincere, orderly questioning.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s instructional setting after the war, Vaiśaṃpāyana frames the forthcoming dharma-teachings by inviting Yudhiṣṭhira to pose questions one by one, promising to explain all aspects of dharma in response.