Shloka 2
अहिंसा-आत्मौपम्य-उपदेशः | Instruction on Ahiṃsā and Self-Comparison Ethics
वैशम्पायनजी कहते हैं--जनमेजय! महाज्ञानी युधिष्ठिरने बाणशय्यापर सोये हुए कुरुकुलके वृद्ध पितामह भीष्मजीके निकट जाकर इस प्रकार प्रश्न किया ।। युधिछिर उवाच अड़नां रूपसौभाग्य॑ प्रियं चैव कथं भवेत् | धर्मार्थकामसंयुक्त: सुखभागी कथं भवेत्,युधिष्ठिर बोले--पितामह! मनुष्यके अंगोंको सुन्दर रूपका सौभाग्य कैसे प्राप्त होता है? मनुष्यमें लोकप्रियता कैसे आती है? धर्म, अर्थ और कामसे युक्त पुरुष किस प्रकार सुखका भागी हो सकता है?
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca | aṅgānāṃ rūpa-saubhāgyaṃ priyaṃ caiva kathaṃ bhavet | dharmārtha-kāma-saṃyuktaḥ sukha-bhāgī kathaṃ bhavet ||
युधिष्ठिर उवाच—अङ्गानां रूपसौभाग्यं प्रियं चैव कथं भवेत् । धर्मार्थकामसंयुक्तः सुखभागी कथं भवेत् ॥
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames an ethical inquiry: outer grace (rūpa-saubhāgya), social goodwill (priyam), and inner well-being (sukha) are to be understood as outcomes of a life harmonized with dharma, artha, and kāma—raising the question of what conduct and values make these aims legitimate and fruitful.
After the war, Yudhiṣṭhira approaches Bhīṣma lying on his bed of arrows and asks guidance. Here he begins by questioning how a person gains beauty, becomes liked by others, and enjoys happiness while living in alignment with dharma, prosperity, and desire.