Shloka 2

Kṣemadarśa–Kālakavṛkṣīya Saṃvāda: Counsel on Impermanence, Non-attachment, and Composure in Dispossession

Devanagari script

भीष्म उवाच अत्रायं क्षेमदर्शीय इतिहासो5नुगीयते । तत्‌ ते5हं सम्प्रवक्ष्यामि तन्निबोध युधिष्ठिर,भीष्मजीने कहा--युधिष्ठिर! इस विषयमें यह क्षेमदर्शीका इतिहास जगतमें बार-बार कहा जाता है। उसीको मैं तुमसे कहूँगा। तुम ध्यान देकर सुनो

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca | atrāyaṃ kṣemadarśīya itihāso 'nugīyate | tat te 'haṃ sampravakṣyāmi tan nibodha yudhiṣṭhira ||

Translation

بھیشم نے کہا—اے یُدھشٹھِر! اسی معاملے میں ‘کشیَم درشی’ کا ایک مشہور قدیم قصہ دنیا میں بار بار دہرایا جاتا ہے۔ وہی میں تمہیں سناتا ہوں؛ توجہ سے سنو۔

Word by Word

• {'atra': 'here

• in this context/matter', 'ayam': 'this', 'kṣema-darśī': 'showing welfare, safety, peace

• indicating what leads to well-being', 'itihāsaḥ': 'traditional historical narrative

• exemplary ancient account', 'anugīyate': 'is sung/recited repeatedly

• is retold', 'tat': 'that (account/teaching)', 'te': 'to you', 'aham': 'I', 'sampravakṣyāmi': 'I will explain fully

• I will relate in detail', 'tan': 'that

• therefore (referring to what is to be heard)', 'nibodha': 'understand

• listen attentively and grasp', 'yudhiṣṭhira': 'O Yudhishthira'}

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Yudhishthira

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Bhishma frames the instruction through an itihāsa (exemplary ancient narrative) that is ‘kṣemadarśī’—meant to reveal what leads to welfare, safety, and stable well-being. The verse emphasizes attentive listening and learning dharma through time-tested stories.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma begins a new illustrative story within his counsel to Yudhishthira. He announces that a widely recited, beneficial account is relevant to the present discussion and promises to narrate it, urging Yudhishthira to listen carefully.