Shloka 8
Adhyāya 55 — Yudhiṣṭhira’s Hesitation and Bhīṣma’s Authorization of Inquiry
Rājadharma Prelude
यो न कामाज्न संरम्भान्न भयाज्नार्थकारणात् । कुर्यादधर्म धर्मात्मा स मां पृच्छतु पाण्डव:,“जो न तो कामनासे, न क्रोधसे, न भयसे और न किसी स्वार्थके ही लोभसे अधर्म करते हैं, वे धर्मात्मा पाण्डुपुत्र युधिष्ठिर मुझसे प्रश्न करें
yo na kāmāj na saṃrambhān na bhayāj nārtha-kāraṇāt | kuryād adharmaṃ dharmātmā sa māṃ pṛcchatu pāṇḍavaḥ ||
毗舍波耶那说道：“让那位坚住于法的般度之子来问我：他不因欲望，不因鲁莽之怒，不因恐惧，也不为私利而行非法（adharma）。”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
A person truly qualified to inquire into dharma is one who does not fall into wrongdoing from the four common drivers—desire, rash anger, fear, or self-interested gain. Ethical clarity begins with mastery over these motives.
Vaiśampāyana frames the ideal questioner—implicitly Yudhiṣṭhira—before proceeding with instruction in the Śānti Parva. He signals that the forthcoming teaching on dharma is meant for a ruler committed to righteousness and not swayed by passion, anger, fear, or greed.