Shloka 2
आशा-कृशता उपाख्यानम्
The Episode on the Emaciation Caused by Hope
संशयो मे महानेष समुत्पन्न: पितामह । छेत्ता च तस्य नान्यो<स्ति त्वत्त: परपुरञज्जय
Yudhiṣṭhira uvāca — saṁśayo me mahān eṣa samutpannaḥ pitāmaha | chettā ca tasya nānyo 'sti tvattaḥ parapurañjaya ||
Yudhiṣṭhira thưa: “Thưa ông nội! Một mối nghi lớn đã khởi lên trong lòng con. Không ai có thể chém đứt nó ngoài người, hỡi bậc chinh phục thành trì của kẻ khác.”
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the proper dharmic approach to moral uncertainty: when a profound doubt arises, one should seek clarification from a trustworthy, experienced authority—here, Bhīṣma—rather than acting on confusion or impulse.
In the Śānti Parva dialogue, Yudhiṣṭhira addresses Bhīṣma respectfully and admits a major inner doubt. He asks Bhīṣma to resolve it, affirming that no one else is as capable of dispelling his uncertainty.