Shloka 20

Devanagari script

अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम्‌ । संवाद वासुदेवस्य पृथ्व्याश्व भरतर्षभ,भरतश्रेष्ठ] इस विषयमें जानकार लोग भगवान्‌ श्रीकृष्ण और पृथ्वीके संवादरूप इस प्राचीन इतिहासका उदाहरण दिया करते हैं

Transliteration

atrāpy udāharantīmam itihāsaṁ purātanam | saṁvādaṁ vāsudevasya pṛthivyāś ca bharatarṣabha ||

Translation

Here too, O bull among the Bharatas, the learned cite an ancient precedent: the old narrative in the form of a dialogue between Vāsudeva (Śrī Kṛṣṇa) and the Earth.

Word by Word

• {'atra api': 'here also

• in this context as well', 'udāharanti': 'they cite

• they adduce as an example', 'imam': 'this', 'itihāsam': 'traditional account

• ancient narrative/precedent', 'purātanam': 'ancient

• of old', 'saṁvādam': 'dialogue

• conversation', 'vāsudevasya': 'of Vāsudeva (Kṛṣṇa)', 'pṛthivyāḥ (ca)': 'of the Earth (and)', 'bharatarṣabha': 'O best/bull among the Bharatas (address to Yudhiṣṭhira)'}

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Vāsudeva (Śrī Kṛṣṇa)
• Pṛthivī (Earth)
• Bharatarṣabha (Yudhiṣṭhira as addressee)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Bhīṣma emphasizes that moral instruction (dharma) is strengthened by citing authoritative precedents. He introduces an ancient dialogue—between Kṛṣṇa and the Earth—as a traditional proof-text to ground the ethical point in revered itihāsa.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma, speaking to Yudhiṣṭhira, announces that he will illustrate his topic by recounting an old story. He frames it as a dialogue (saṁvāda) between Vāsudeva (Kṛṣṇa) and Pṛthivī (the Earth), signaling a transition into an exemplifying episode.