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Shloka 2

Dvaipāyana–Kīṭa Saṃvāda: Karmic Memory, Fear of Death, and Embodied Pleasure

वैशम्पायनजी कहते हैं--जनमेजय! तदनन्तर महातेजस्वी और वक्ताओंमें श्रेष्ठ राजा युधिष्ठिरने बाणशय्यापर पड़े हुए पितामह भीष्मसे पुनः प्रश्न किया ।।

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca | ṛṣayo brāhmaṇā devāḥ praśaṃsanti mahāmate | ahiṃsālakṣaṇaṃ dharmaṃ vedaprāmāṇyadarśanāt | nṛpaśreṣṭha! pṛcchāmi manovākkāyakarmabhiḥ | hiṃsām evācaran martyaḥ kathaṃ duḥkhāt pramucyate ||

尤提士提罗说道:“大智者啊!诸仙、婆罗门与诸天——凭借吠陀的权威——恒常赞叹以不害(阿希ṃ萨)为标志的法。因此,诸王之最啊,我请问:一介凡人若在意念、言语与身行上唯行暴害,又怎能从随之而来的苦报中得解脱?”

युधिष्ठिरःYudhiṣṭhira
युधिष्ठिरः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootयुधिष्ठिर
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
उवाचsaid
उवाच:
TypeVerb
Rootवच्
FormPerfect, 3, Singular, Parasmaipada
ऋषयःsages
ऋषयः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootऋषि
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
ब्राह्मणाःBrahmins
ब्राह्मणाः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootब्राह्मण
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
देवाःgods
देवाः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootदेव
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
प्रशंसन्तिpraise
प्रशंसन्ति:
TypeVerb
Rootप्र-शंस्
FormPresent, Indicative, 3, Plural, Parasmaipada
महामतेO great-minded one
महामते:
TypeNoun
Rootमहामति
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular
अहिंसा-लक्षणम्having non-violence as its mark
अहिंसा-लक्षणम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootअहिंसा-लक्षण
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
धर्मम्dharma, righteousness
धर्मम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootधर्म
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
वेद-प्रामाण्य-दर्शनात्from/through the recognition of Vedic authority
वेद-प्रामाण्य-दर्शनात्:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootवेद-प्रामाण्य-दर्शन
FormNeuter, Ablative, Singular

युधिछिर उवाच

Y
Yudhiṣṭhira
B
Bhīṣma
V
Vaiśaṃpāyana
J
Janamejaya
ṛṣis
B
brāhmaṇas
D
devas
V
Veda

Educational Q&A

Non-violence is presented as a Veda-endorsed hallmark of dharma, and Yudhiṣṭhira frames ethics as comprehensive—covering intention (mind), expression (speech), and conduct (body). The question highlights karmic consequence: persistent violence across these three levels binds one to suffering, so liberation requires reform at all three.

After the war, Bhīṣma lies on his bed of arrows, instructing Yudhiṣṭhira on dharma. In this chapter, Yudhiṣṭhira again questions Bhīṣma, citing the praise of ahiṃsā by sages, Brahmins, and gods, and asks how a person devoted to violence in thought, word, and deed could ever escape the resulting misery.