Shloka 2
जनक-राज्ञः मौण्ड्य-परिव्रज्या-विवादः
Janaka’s Renunciation Questioned; Discourse on Dāna and Detachment
अजुन उवाच कथयमन्ति पुरावृत्तमितिहासमिमं जना: । विदेहराज्ञ: संवादं भार्यया सह भारत,अर्जुनने कहा--भारत! विज्ञ पुरुष विदेहतज जनक और उनकी रानीका संवादरूप यह प्राचीन इतिहास कहा करते हैं
arjuna uvāca kathayanti purāvṛttam itihāsam imaṃ janāḥ | videharājñaḥ saṃvādaṃ bhāryayā saha bhārata ||
అర్జునుడు పలికెను—ఓ భారతా! జనులు ఈ ప్రాచీన ఇతిహాసాన్ని చెబుతారు—విదేహరాజు తన రాణితో చేసిన సంభాషణను.
अजुन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames the coming instruction as an authoritative itihāsa: a remembered ancient dialogue of King Janaka of Videha and his queen, presented as an ethical exemplar for understanding dharma through lived royal and household experience.
Arjuna introduces a traditional story that people commonly recount—specifically, a conversation between the Videha king (Janaka) and his wife—signaling that the next section will draw moral guidance from their exchange.