Shloka 81
बक-गौतमाख्यानम् / The Baka–Gautama Account
On Gratitude and Friendship Ethics
धुन्धुमारसे काम्बोजने
dhundhumārase kāmbojane, kāmbojase mucukundane, mucukundase maruttane, maruttase raivatane, raivatase yuvanāśvane, yuvanāśvase ikṣvākūvaṁśī raghune, raghuse pratāpī hariṇāśvane, hariṇāśvase śunakane, śunakase dharmātmā uśīnarane, uśīnarase yaduvaṁśī bhojane, yaduvaṁśībhyaḥ śibine, śibise pratardanane, pratardanase aṣṭakane tathā aṣṭakase pṛṣadaśvane sa khaḍgaḥ prāptaḥ || pṛṣadaśvād bharadvājo droṇas tasmāt kṛpas tataḥ | tatas tvaṁ bhrātṛbhiḥ sārthaṁ paramāsim avāptavān ||
Bhīṣma said: From Dhundhumāra it passed to Kāmboja; from Kāmboja to Mucukunda; from Mucukunda to Marutta; from Marutta to Raivata; from Raivata to Yuvanāśva; from Yuvanāśva to Raghu of the Ikṣvāku line; from Raghu to the mighty Hariṇāśva; from Hariṇāśva to Śunaka; from Śunaka to the righteous Uśīnara; from Uśīnara to Bhoja of the Yadu lineage; from the Yadus to Śibi; from Śibi to Pratardana; from Pratardana to Aṣṭaka; and from Aṣṭaka to Pṛṣadaśva—thus that sword, and its discipline, was obtained. From Pṛṣadaśva came Bharadvāja; from him Droṇa; from Droṇa, Kṛpa. And then you, together with your brothers, received that supreme sword-teaching from Kṛpa.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
That martial power (symbolized by the sword and its science) is a lineage-transmitted trust. Because it is received through a chain of worthy holders and teachers, it should be used under dharma—requiring restraint, right purpose, and accountability rather than mere prowess.
Bhishma recites a succession list showing how the sword/its teaching passed from ancient kings and heroes down to Pṛṣadaśva, then to the Brahmin sages/teachers Bharadvāja and Droṇa, then to Kṛpa, and finally to the addressed prince (with his brothers), who learned the supreme sword-discipline from Kṛpa.