Shloka 2
कपोती-विलापः स्वर्गसंयोगश्च
The Dove’s Lament and Celestial Reunion
भीष्म उवाच महान् धर्मो महाराज शरणागतपालने । अर्ह: प्रष्टें भवांश्वैव प्रश्न भरतसत्तम,भीष्मजीने कहा--महाराज! शरणागतकी रक्षा करनेमें महान् धर्म है। भरतश्रेष्ठ! तुम्हीं ऐसा प्रश्न पूछनेके अधिकारी हो
bhīṣma uvāca mahān dharmo mahārāja śaraṇāgatapālane | arhaḥ praṣṭuṃ bhavān caiva praśnaṃ bharatasattama ||
ภีษมะตรัสว่า: “ข้าแต่มหาราช การคุ้มครองผู้มาขอพึ่งพิงเป็นมหาธรรม. โอ้ผู้ประเสริฐแห่งวงศ์ภารตะ ท่านนี่เองสมควรถามคำถามนี้.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Protecting a person who has sought refuge (śaraṇāgata) is presented as a ‘great dharma’—a paramount ethical duty of a righteous ruler and, by extension, of anyone with the power to protect.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on dharma, Bhishma addresses Yudhishthira, affirming the importance of the topic—protection of those who surrender for safety—and praising Yudhishthira as a worthy questioner before giving further guidance.