Shloka 37

Śara-śayyā-sthita-bhīṣma-saṃvāda-prastāvaḥ

The Prelude to Questioning Bhīṣma on the Bed of Arrows

Devanagari script

धर्म शुश्रूषमाणे भ्य: पृष्टेन च सता पुन:

Transliteration

dharmaśuśrūṣamāṇebhyaḥ pṛṣṭena ca satā punaḥ

Translation

Vāyu dit : «Encore une fois : lorsqu’un homme vertueux interroge, et lorsque ceux qui écoutent sont voués au service et à l’apprentissage du dharma, il faut exposer la chose, afin que la droiture soit comprise et maintenue.»

Word by Word

• धर्म: dharma, righteousness
• धर्म: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• शुश्रूषमाणेभ्यः: to those who are serving/attending (obediently)
• शुश्रूषमाणेभ्यः: Sampradana
• Type: Verb
• Root: शुश्रूष् (शुश्रूषमाण)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Dative, Plural

• पृष्टेन: by/with (one) asked; when asked
• पृष्टेन: Karana
• Type: Verb
• Root: पृच्छ् (पृष्ट)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• सता: by a good/virtuous person
• सता: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• पुनः: again, moreover
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vāyudeva

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Dharma is best communicated in response to sincere questioning and to those who are genuinely eager to listen and learn; ethical instruction depends on both a worthy teacher and a receptive, dharma-oriented audience.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyudeva is speaking within an instructive dialogue in the Śānti Parva, framing his response as prompted by a righteous questioner and directed toward listeners devoted to dharma, thereby legitimizing and emphasizing the forthcoming teaching.