Shloka 6
ब्राह्मणस्य पूर्वतरा वृत्तिः — The Earlier Ideal Conduct of a Brahmana
River-of-Saṃsāra Metaphor
Devanagari script
अनत्रैवोदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम्
Transliteration
anatraivodāharantīmam itihāsaṃ purātanam
Translation
Eben hier will ich zur Veranschaulichung eine alte Überlieferung anführen.
Word by Word
अनत्रhere (in this context/place)
अनत्र:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअनत्र
FormAvyaya (indeclinable adverb)
एवindeed/just/only
एव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव
FormAvyaya (indeclinable particle)
उदाहरन्तिthey cite/they quote
उदाहरन्ति:
TypeVerb
Rootउद्-आ-हृ
FormLat (present), parasmaipada; 3rd person plural
इमम्this
इमम्:
Karma
TypePronoun
Rootइदम्
FormMasculine; accusative; singular
इतिहासम्story/tradition (itihāsa)
इतिहासम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootइतिहास
FormMasculine; accusative; singular
पुरातनम्ancient/old
पुरातनम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootपुरातन
FormMasculine; accusative; singular (agreeing with इतिहासम्)
Speaker
भीष्म उवाच
Character Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
War Context
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Geographic Context
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
Bhishma signals a didactic method: ethical principles are clarified by citing an ancient exemplary narrative (itihāsa) relevant to the present discussion.
As part of his instruction in the Śānti Parva, Bhishma introduces an old story that will serve as an illustrative precedent for the topic under discussion.