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Shloka 2

उपदेशदोषप्रसङ्गः (Upadeśa-doṣa-prasaṅgaḥ) — The Risk of Misapplied Counsel

एतदिच्छामि तत्त्वेन व्याख्यातुं वै पितामह । सूक्ष्मा गतिर्हिं धर्मस्य यत्र मुहान्ति मानवा:

Yudhiṣṭhira uvāca: etad icchāmi tattvena vyākhyātuṃ vai pitāmaha | sūkṣmā gatir hi dharmasya yatra muhyanti mānavāḥ ||

युधिष्ठिर उवाच—पितामह, एतदहं तत्त्वेन व्याख्यातुमिच्छामि। धर्मस्य हि गतिः सूक्ष्मा; यत्र मानवा मोहं यान्ति।

एतत्this (matter)
एतत्:
Karma
TypePronoun
Rootएतद्
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
इच्छामिI wish/desire
इच्छामि:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootइष्
FormPresent, First, Singular, Parasmaipada
तत्त्वेनin truth; accurately
तत्त्वेन:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootतत्त्व
FormNeuter, Instrumental, Singular
व्याख्यातुम्to explain
व्याख्यातुम्:
TypeVerb
Rootवि-आ-ख्या
FormTumun (infinitive)
वैindeed; surely
वै:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवै
पितामहO grandsire
पितामह:
Sampradana
TypeNoun
Rootपितामह
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular
सूक्ष्माsubtle
सूक्ष्मा:
TypeAdjective
Rootसूक्ष्म
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular
गतिःcourse; path; movement
गतिः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootगति
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular
हिfor; indeed
हि:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootहि
धर्मस्यof dharma; of righteousness
धर्मस्य:
TypeNoun
Rootधर्म
FormMasculine, Genitive, Singular
यत्रwhere
यत्र:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootयत्र
मुह्यन्तिbecome deluded; are confused
मुह्यन्ति:
TypeVerb
Rootमुह्
FormPresent, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada
मानवाःmen; humans
मानवाः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootमानव
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural

युधिछिर उवाच

Y
Yudhiṣṭhira
P
Pitāmaha (Bhīṣma)
D
Dharma

Educational Q&A

Dharma is not always obvious; its true course can be subtle, so one should seek careful, truthful explanation from a reliable authority before judging right and wrong.

Yudhiṣṭhira addresses Bhīṣma as ‘Grandfather’ and requests a precise clarification on a moral issue, acknowledging that people often become confused when trying to determine what dharma requires.