Shloka 1
दीर्घदर्शी–दीर्घसूत्र–संप्रतिपत्तिमान् आख्यानम्
The Parable of Foresight, Procrastination, and Presence of Mind
अप ह< बक। हक २ >> चतुस्त्रिंशर्दाधिकशततमो< ध्याय: बलकी महत्ता और पापसे छूटनेका प्रायद्षित्त भीष्म उवाच अत्र धर्मानुवचनं कीर्तयन्ति पुराविद: । प्रत्यक्षावेव धर्मार्थो क्षत्रियस्य विजानत:,भीष्मजी कहते हैं--राजन्! प्राचीनकालकी बातोंको जाननेवाले विद्वान् इस विषयमें जो धर्मका प्रवचन करते हैं, वह इस प्रकार है--विज्ञ क्षत्रियके लिये धर्म और अर्थ--ये दो ही प्रत्यक्ष हैं
Bhīṣma uvāca: atra dharmānuvacanaṃ kīrtayanti purāvidaḥ | pratyakṣāv eva dharmārtho kṣatriyasya vijānataḥ ||
Bhīṣma disse: «Ó Rei, os sábios que conhecem os relatos dos tempos antigos recitam, sobre este assunto, um ensinamento de dharma assim: para um kṣatriya discernente, dharma e artha são as duas realidades que se apresentam diretamente diante dele—obrigações e fins imediatos, práticos, que devem ser reconhecidos e cumpridos.»
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma frames kshatriya ethics as grounded in what is immediately evident in governance and life: dharma (right duty/justice) and artha (welfare, power, and material-political aims). A ruler must recognize both as direct, practical realities rather than abstract ideals alone.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction to the king, Bhishma introduces an authoritative traditional teaching, citing ‘knowers of ancient lore,’ and begins a discourse that will explain dharma in this context—especially as it applies to a discerning warrior-king.