Shloka 2
भীমेन युधिष्ठिरस्य त्यागवृत्तेः प्रतिषेधः
Bhīma’s Rebuttal of Yudhiṣṭhira’s Renunciatory Inclination
आलस्ये कृतचित्तस्य राजधर्मानसूयत: । विनाशे धार्तराष्ट्राणां कि फलं भरतर्षभ
ālasye kṛtacittasya rājadharmān asūyataḥ | vināśe dhārtarāṣṭrāṇāṃ kiṃ phalaṃ bharatarṣabha ||
Wika ni Bhīma: “O toro sa mga Bharata, kung noon pa man ay nagpasya ka nang mamuhay sa katamaran—habang sinisisi at kinaiinisan ang tungkulin ng paghahari—ano ang napala sa pagdulot ng pagkalipol sa mga anak ni Dhṛtarāṣṭra? Anong layuning makatarungan ang pinagsilbihan ng pagkawasak na iyon kung hindi mo rin naman itataguyod ang dharma ng hari pagkatapos?”
भीम उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse presses an ethical demand for coherence between means and ends: if one undertakes catastrophic action (war leading to the Kauravas’ destruction) ostensibly for dharma, one must then accept the responsibility of rājadharma afterward. Otherwise the ‘fruit’ of such destruction becomes morally empty.
In the aftermath of the great war, Yudhiṣṭhira is despondent and reluctant to rule. Bhima rebukes him, arguing that if Yudhiṣṭhira intended to reject kingship and live in inertia while disparaging royal duty, then the very purpose of defeating Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s sons is called into question.