Shloka 184
अथैनमब्रवीद् वाक््यं लोकस्याधिपतिर्भव: । आश्वासनकरं वाक्यं वाक्यविद्वाक्य सम्मतम्,तदनन्तर वाक्यविशारद, लोकनाथ भगवान् शिवने प्रजापतिको सान्त्वना देनेवाला युक्तियुक्त एवं उत्तम वचन कहा--
athainam abravīd vākyam lokasyādhipatir bhavaḥ | āśvāsanakaraṃ vākyam vākyavid vākyasammatam ||
Then Bhava—Śiva, the Lord of the worlds—addressed him. He spoke words that brought reassurance: well-reasoned, fitting to the occasion, and approved by the wise in speech.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical ideal of speech: true counsel should be reassuring without being deceptive, rational and well-judged, and appropriate to the listener and situation—speech that steadies the mind and supports dharma.
Bhīṣma reports that Śiva (called Bhava, the Lord of the world) speaks to a person present in the episode, offering consoling and well-considered words—setting up a divine instruction or reassurance that follows.