Shloka 20
Jayadrathasya śoka-bhaya-vilāpaḥ — Droṇena āśvāsanaṃ ca
Jayadratha’s lament and Droṇa’s reassurance
व्यास उवाच अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम् । अकम्पनस्य कथितं नारदेन पुरा नृप,व्यासजी बोले--नरेश्वर! जानकार लोग इस विषयमें एक प्राचीन इतिहासका दृष्टान्त दिया करते हैं। वह इतिहास पूर्वकालमें नारदजीने राजा अकम्पनसे कहा था
vyāsa uvāca | atrāpy udāharantīmam itihāsaṃ purātanam | akampanasya kathitaṃ nāradena purā nṛpa ||
ব্যাসে ক’লে—হে নৃপ! এই বিষয়তো পণ্ডিতসকলে এক প্ৰাচীন ইতিহাসৰ দৃষ্টান্ত দিয়ে। এই পুৰাতন বৃত্তান্ত একদা নাৰদ মুনিয়ে ৰজা অকম্পনক কৈছিল।
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
Ethical instruction is strengthened by precedent: Vyāsa signals that the point under discussion will be clarified through an ancient, authoritative narrative remembered and cited by the learned.
Vyāsa introduces a forthcoming episode—an old account once told by the sage Nārada to King Akampana—framing it as an illustrative example relevant to the present situation.