Shloka 7
Śara-śayyā-sthita-bhīṣma-saṃvāda-prastāvaḥ
The Prelude to Questioning Bhīṣma on the Bed of Arrows
मुहूर्तमिव च ध्यात्वा नारदो देवदर्शन: । उवाच पाण्डवान् सर्वान् हतशिष्टांश्व पार्थिवान्,तब दिव्य दृष्टि रखनेवाले देवर्षि नारदने दो घड़ीतक कुछ सोच-विचारकर समस्त पाण्डवों तथा मरनेसे बचे हुए अन्य नरेशोंको सम्बोधित करके कहा--
muhūrtam iva ca dhyātvā nārado devadarśanaḥ | uvāca pāṇḍavān sarvān hataśiṣṭāṁś ca pārthivān ||
Vaiśampāyana dit : Après avoir médité un court instant, le sage divin Nārada—doué de vision céleste—s’adressa à tous les Pāṇḍava, ainsi qu’aux autres rois survivants du carnage. Cette pause marque la délibération avant le conseil, convenant à l’après-guerre, où la parole doit ramener le chagrin et le pouvoir vers le dharma.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical necessity of thoughtful deliberation before giving guidance, especially in the fragile post-war context. Nārada’s brief reflection signals that counsel to rulers should be measured, dharma-oriented, and responsive to collective suffering.
Vaiśampāyana narrates that Nārada, possessing divine vision, pauses to reflect and then begins speaking to the Pāṇḍavas and the other kings who survived the great slaughter, setting up a discourse meant to guide them in the aftermath of the war.