Shloka 2
Vyāghra–Gomāyu Saṃvāda (व्याघ्रगोमायु संवाद) — Testing Character Beneath Appearances
भीष्म उवाच अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम् । व्याप्रगोमायुसंवादं त॑ निबोध युधिछिर,भीष्मजी बोले--युधिष्ठि! इस विषयमें जानकार लोग एक बाघ और सियारके संवादरूप प्राचीन आख्यानका उदाहरण दिया करते हैं, उसे ध्यान देकर सुनो
bhīṣma uvāca | atrāpy udāharantīmam itihāsaṃ purātanam | vyāghra-gomāyu-saṃvādaṃ taṃ nibodha yudhiṣṭhira ||
Bhīṣma đáp: “Trong việc này, bậc hiền trí cũng thường dẫn một chuyện xưa làm thí dụ—cuộc đối thoại giữa hổ và chó rừng. Hỡi Yudhiṣṭhira, hãy lắng nghe cho kỹ.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma frames his instruction through a traditional exemplum: ethical and practical guidance is often best conveyed via illustrative stories, and Yudhishthira is urged to listen carefully so the moral can be applied to conduct (dharma) and judgment.
Bhishma introduces an old didactic tale—specifically a dialogue between a tiger and a jackal—as an example relevant to the topic under discussion, and invites Yudhishthira to attend closely to it.