Shloka 15
भूमिदान-प्रसङ्गः । काश्यपी-पृथिवी तथा उतथ्य-वरुण-संवादः
Land-gift episode; Pṛthivī Kāśyapī; Utathya–Varuṇa dispute
भीष्म उवाच एतद् धर्मरहस्यं वै देवतानां नराधिप । व्यासोद्दिष्टं मया प्रोक्ते सर्वदेवनमस्कृतम्
bhīṣma uvāca etad dharmarahasyaṃ vai devatānāṃ narādhipa | vyāsoddiṣṭaṃ mayā prokte sarvadevanamaskṛtam ||
Bhishma sprach: „O König, dies ist wahrlich das geheime Wesen des Dharma, verehrt selbst unter den Göttern. Von Vyasa wurde es gewiesen, und ich habe es dir nun verkündet — würdig der Verehrung durch alle Götter.“
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
That there is a subtle, inner ‘secret’ of dharma—an essential principle of righteous conduct—validated by the highest authorities (Vyasa and even the gods), and therefore to be received with reverence and seriousness.
Bhishma, instructing the king (Yudhishthira) in the Anushasana Parva, concludes or emphasizes a teaching by stating that what he has just taught is the profound dharma-essence, originally indicated by Vyasa and honored by all the gods.