Shloka 12
Śānti Parva, Adhyāya 52 — Bhīṣma’s Humility Before Kṛṣṇa and the Granting of Boons
स्वयमेव भवांस्तस्माद् धर्मराजस्य यद्धितम् | तद् ब्रवीत्वाशु सर्वेषामागमानां त्वमागम:,“इसलिये आप स्वयं ही जिसमें धर्मराजका हित हो, वह बात शीघ्र बताइये; क्योंकि आप शास्त्रोंके भी शास्त्र हैं
svayam eva bhavāṁs tasmād dharmarājasya yad dhitam | tad bravītvāśu sarveṣām āgamānāṁ tvam āgamaḥ ||
स्वयमेव भवान् तस्माद् धर्मराजस्य यद्धितम्। तद् ब्रवीत्वाशु सर्वेषामागमानां त्वमागमः॥
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse emphasizes timely, welfare-oriented counsel grounded in dharma: one should state plainly and quickly what truly benefits the righteous king, and true authority is measured by alignment with the highest scriptural wisdom.
Vaiśampāyana urges an authoritative teacher to speak without delay about what will serve Dharmarāja’s good, praising the addressee as a living embodiment of the scriptural traditions (āgamas) whose guidance can settle the king’s ethical doubts.