Shloka 1
Khaḍgotpattiḥ (Origin and Dharmic Function of the Sword) | खड्गोत्पत्तिः
भीकम (2 अमान एकोनषष्टर्याधेकशततमो< ध्याय: अज्ञान और लोभको एक दूसरेका कारण बताकर दोनोंकी एकता करना और दोनोंको ही समस्त दोषोंका कारण सिद्ध करना युधिछिर उवाच अनर्थानामधिष्ठानमुक्तो लोभ: पितामह । अज्ञानमपि वै तात श्रोतुमिच्छामि तत्त्वतः,युधिष्ठिरने पूछा--पितामह! आपने सब अनर्थोंके आधारभूत लोभका वर्णन तो किया, अब अज्ञानका भी यथार्थरूपसे वर्णन कीजिये; मैं उसके परिणामको भी सुनना चाहता हूँ
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca | anarthānām adhiṣṭhānam ukto lobhaḥ pitāmaha | ajñānam api vai tāta śrotum icchāmi tattvataḥ |
Yudhiṣṭhira disse: “Avô, explicaste a cobiça como o próprio alicerce sobre o qual se erguem todas as desgraças. Agora, venerável senhor, desejo ouvir também a verdadeira natureza da ignorância, para compreendê-la como ela é.”
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames greed (lobha) as a foundational cause of harm and urges inquiry into ignorance (ajñāna) as an equally crucial root of wrongdoing. Ethical clarity requires understanding not only overt desire but also the underlying delusion that enables it.
In the Śānti Parva’s teaching dialogue, Yudhiṣṭhira addresses Bhīṣma as ‘Grandfather’ and, after hearing about greed, requests a truthful explanation of ignorance—seeking deeper insight into the causes of human faults and suffering.