Shloka 1
Bṛhaspati’s Counsel on Contentment
Santoṣa), Restraint, and Adroha (Non-injury
अप्-४#-#क+ एकविशो< ध्याय: देवस्थान मुनिके द्वारा युधिष्ठिरके प्रति उत्तम धर्मका और यज्ञादि करनेका उपदेश देवस्थान उवाच अनत्रैवोदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम् | इन्द्रेण समये पृष्टो यदुवाच बृहस्पति:,देवस्थान कहते हैं--राजन्! इस विषयमें लोग इस प्राचीन इतिहासका उदाहरण दिया करते हैं। किसी समय इन्द्रके पूछनेपर बृहस्पतिने इस प्रकार कहा था--
devasthāna uvāca | atraivodāharantīmam itihāsaṁ purātanam | indreṇa samaye pṛṣṭo yad uvāca bṛhaspatiḥ ||
Devasthāna said: “O King, in this very matter people cite an ancient precedent from tradition. Once, when Indra questioned him at an opportune time, Bṛhaspati replied in this manner.”
देवस्थान उवाच
Educational Q&A
Ethical instruction is grounded in authoritative precedent: the speaker introduces an ancient traditional narrative (itihāsa) as a model for understanding dharma, preparing the listener to receive a principled teaching from a revered teacher (Bṛhaspati).
Devasthāna addresses the king (Yudhiṣṭhira) and announces that an old illustrative story is commonly cited on this topic; he then frames the coming instruction as Bṛhaspati’s response to a question posed by Indra.