Shloka 12
Daṇḍotpatti-kathana (Origin and Function of Daṇḍa) — वसुहोम–मान्धातृ संवाद
यथोक्तमेतद् वचन प्रागेव मनुना पुरा । यन्मयोक्तं मनुष्येन्द्र ब्रह्मणो वचन महत्
bhīṣma uvāca | yathoktam etad vacanaṃ prāg eva manunā purā | yan mayoktaṃ manuṣyendra brahmaṇo vacanaṃ mahat ||
ভীষ্মে ক’লে—হে মানুহশ্ৰেষ্ঠ, এই বচন মনুৱে বহু আগতেই কৈছিল। মই যি কৈছোঁ, সেয়া ব্ৰহ্মাৰ মহান বাণী। মনুৱে আগতেই উচ্চাৰণ কৰা বাবে ইয়াক ‘প্ৰাগ্বচন’ বুলিও জনা যায়; আৰু ইয়াত ব্যৱহাৰ—লোকাচাৰ আৰু ন্যায়-প্ৰক্ৰিয়া—ৰ বিধান প্ৰতিপাদিত হোৱা বাবে ইয়াত ইয়াক ‘ব্যৱহাৰ’ বুলি কোৱা হৈছে।
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma grounds his instruction in recognized authority: the same rule was taught earlier by Manu and ultimately reflects Brahmā’s great pronouncement. Because it guides practical dealings and adjudication, it is classified under vyavahāra—dharma as applied to real-world conduct and legal order.
In the Śānti Parva dialogue, Bhishma continues advising the king (Yudhiṣṭhira). Here he clarifies that his present teaching is not novel: it is an ancient doctrine already stated by Manu and traceable to Brahmā, thereby reinforcing its legitimacy for governance and social/legal practice.