Shloka 2

Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Public Request for Consent to Enter the Forest (अनुज्ञा-प्रार्थना)

Devanagari script

तथा ततो5भिरूपान्‌ भीष्माय ब्राह्मणानृषिसत्तमान्‌ | पुत्रार्थे सुहृदश्नैव स समीक्ष्य सहस्रश:

Transliteration

tathā tato 'bhirūpān bhīṣmāya brāhmaṇān ṛṣisattamān | putrārthe suhṛdaiś caiva sa samīkṣya sahasraśaḥ ||

Translation

Kemudian, berulang kali—hingga beribu-ribu—baginda memilih para resi Brahmana yang tampan dan terkemuka, serta sahabat-sahabat yang setia; dan demi Bhīṣma, baginda menentukannya dengan tujuan memperoleh zuriat.

Word by Word

तथाthus

ततःthen/from there

अभिरूपान्handsome/pleasing (ones)

भीष्मायto Bhīṣma

ब्राह्मणान्Brahmins

ऋषिसत्तमान्best of sages

पुत्रार्थेfor the purpose of a son/offspring

सुहृदःfriends/well-wishers

नnot

एवindeed/just

सःhe

समीक्ष्यhaving examined/considered

सहस्रशःby thousands; in thousands

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Bhīṣma

Brāhmaṇas

Ṛ

Ṛṣis (sages)

Suhṛds (well-wishers/friends)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights a dharmic approach to major life-goals: decisions about lineage and continuity should be made with careful consideration, guided by learned Brahmin sages and supported by trustworthy well-wishers, emphasizing propriety and responsible deliberation.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana narrates that a figure (referred to as 'he') repeatedly selects large numbers of eminent Brahmin sages and friends, choosing them for Bhīṣma with the intention connected to obtaining offspring (putrārtha).