Shloka 7
बक-गौतमाख्यानम् / The Baka–Gautama Account
On Gratitude and Friendship Ethics
वैशम्पायन उवाच तस्य तद् वचन श्रुत्वा माद्रीपुत्रस्य धीमतः । स तु कौशलसंयुक्तं सूक्ष्मचित्रार्थसम्मतम्
vaiśampāyana uvāca | tasya tad vacanaṃ śrutvā mādrīputrasya dhīmataḥ | sa tu kauśalasaṃyuktaṃ sūkṣmacitrārthasammatam |
Vaiśampāyana dit : Ayant entendu ces paroles du sage fils de Mādrī (Nakula), Bhīṣma—connaisseur du dharma et parfaitement accompli dans la science de l’arc, étendu sur son lit de flèches—reconnut que l’énoncé n’était pas seulement habilement tourné, mais aussi subtil et riche de sens nuancés. Il se mit alors à répondre à Nakula, le noble disciple formé par Droṇa, d’une voix agréable et aux syllabes bien articulées.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical ideal of thoughtful discourse: a good question or statement should be skillful in expression and subtle in meaning, and a true teacher responds with clarity, refinement, and dharma-grounded understanding.
Vaiśampāyana narrates that Nakula has spoken; Bhīṣma, lying on the arrow-bed, recognizes the quality of Nakula’s words and begins his reply, setting up Bhīṣma’s forthcoming instruction in the Śānti Parva.