Shloka 2
Adhyāya 55 — Yudhiṣṭhira’s Hesitation and Bhīṣma’s Authorization of Inquiry
Rājadharma Prelude
युधिष्िरस्तु धर्मात्मा मां धर्माननुपच्छतु । एवं प्रीतो भविष्यामि धर्मान् वक्ष्यामि चाखिलान्,“धर्मात्मा युधिष्ठिर मुझसे एक-एक करके धर्मोंके विषयमें प्रश्न करें, इससे मुझे प्रसन्नता होगी और मैं सम्पूर्ण धर्मॉंका उपदेश कर सकूँगा
yudhiṣṭhiras tu dharmātmā māṃ dharmān anupṛcchatu | evaṃ prīto bhaviṣyāmi dharmān vakṣyāmi cākhilān ||
وَیشَمپایَن نے کہا—دھرماتما یُدھِشٹھِر مجھ سے دھرم کے بارے میں ایک ایک کر کے سوال کرے۔ اس طرح میں خوش ہوں گا اور میں پورے دھرم کی مکمل توضیح کروں گا۔
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Dharma is best learned through disciplined inquiry: a qualified seeker (Yudhiṣṭhira, ‘dharmātmā’) should ask systematically, and the teacher responds comprehensively, pleased by sincere, orderly questioning.
In the Śānti Parva’s instructional setting after the war, Vaiśaṃpāyana frames the forthcoming dharma-teachings by inviting Yudhiṣṭhira to pose questions one by one, promising to explain all aspects of dharma in response.