Shloka 51
Kṛṣṇa’s Departure, Auspicious Omens, and the Opening of the Uttaṅka Dialogue (कृष्णप्रयाण-निमित्त-उत्तङ्कसंवाद-प्रारम्भः)
इस प्रकार श्रीमह्याभारत आश्वमेधिकपर्वके अन्तर्गत अनुगीतापर्वमें गुरुशिष्यसंवादाविषयक इकक््यावनवाँ अध्याय पूरा हुआ
evaṁ bruvati kauravye dharmarāje yudhiṣṭhire | vāsudevo varaḥ puṁsām idaṁ vacanam abravīt ||
Comme Dharmarāja Yudhiṣṭhira, de la lignée des Kuru, parlait ainsi, Vāsudeva—le plus éminent parmi les hommes—s’adressa à lui en ces termes. Le récit se détourne de l’exposé du disciple pour aller vers la réponse du maître, annonçant un passage à une instruction fondée sur le dharma et la juste conduite.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse functions as a hinge: it emphasizes that dharma-oriented discourse invites authoritative guidance. By introducing Vāsudeva’s response to Dharmarāja, it frames the coming instruction as ethically normative and meant to clarify right conduct.
While Yudhiṣṭhira is speaking, the narrator notes that Kṛṣṇa (Vāsudeva), described as foremost among men, begins to speak. This marks a transition from Yudhiṣṭhira’s words to Kṛṣṇa’s counsel within the ongoing dialogue context.