Shloka 3
Śara-śayyā-sthita-bhīṣma-saṃvāda-prastāvaḥ
The Prelude to Questioning Bhīṣma on the Bed of Arrows
का: कथा: समवर्तन्त तस्मिन् वीरसमागमे । हतेषु सर्वसैन्येषु तन््मे शंस महामुने
Janamejaya uvāca: kāḥ kathāḥ samavartanta tasmin vīrasamāgame | hateṣu sarvasainyeṣu tan me śaṃsa mahāmune ||
জনমেজয়ে সুধিলে—হে মহামুনি! সেই বীৰসমাগমত কি কি কথা-বতৰা হৈছিল? সমগ্ৰ সেনা নিধন হোৱাৰ পাছত তাত কি কোৱা হৈছিল—অনুগ্ৰহ কৰি মোক কওক।
जनमेजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
This verse functions as a narrative prompt: Janamejaya requests an authoritative recounting of the discussions that occurred after the total destruction of the armies, preparing the ground for the Shanti Parva’s extended instruction on dharma, kingship, and ethical restoration after war.
In the frame dialogue, Janamejaya asks the sage to describe what was said at the ‘meeting of heroes’ once the fighting had ended and the armies were slain—pointing toward the post-war setting in which Bhishma’s teachings are delivered.