Shloka 2

राजवृत्त-रक्षा-प्रणिधि-षाड्गुण्योपदेशः

Royal Conduct, Protection, Intelligence, and Policy Measures

Devanagari script

भीष्म उवाच अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम्‌ । बृहस्पतिं वसुमना यथा पप्रच्छ भारत,भीष्मजीने कहा--भारत! इस विषयमें जानकार लोग उस प्राचीन इतिहासका उदाहरण दिया करते हैं, जिसके अनुसार राजा वसुमनाने बृहस्पतिजीसे यही बात पूछी थी

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca | atrāpy udāharantīmam itihāsaṁ purātanam | bṛhaspatiṁ vasumanā yathā papraccha bhārata ||

Translation

Bhīṣma đáp: “Hỡi Bharata! Về việc này, các bậc hiền triết thường dẫn một điển tích xưa. Theo đó, vua Vasumanā đã hỏi hiền thánh Bṛhaspati đúng điều ấy.”

Word by Word

• {'bhīṣma uvāca': 'Bhishma said', 'atra api': 'here also

• in this context too', 'udāharanti': 'they cite

• they adduce as an example', 'imam': 'this', 'itihāsam': 'traditional account

• precedent', 'purātanam': 'ancient

• of old', 'bṛhaspatim': 'Brihaspati (preceptor of the gods

• a sage)', 'vasumanā': 'by Vasumana (instrumental: ‘by King Vasumana’)', 'yathā': 'how

• as', 'papraccha': 'asked

• inquired', 'bhārata': 'O Bharata (address to Yudhiṣṭhira)'}

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Bharata (Yudhiṣṭhira)
• Brihaspati
• King Vasumana

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Bhishma frames his instruction by appealing to an ancient precedent: ethical and dharmic questions are clarified through authoritative examples from earlier tradition, especially dialogues between kings and sages.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma tells Yudhiṣṭhira that, regarding the issue under discussion, people cite an old account in which King Vasumana approached the sage Brihaspati and asked him the same question—introducing a didactic story to follow.