Shloka 1
Brāhmaṇa-kṛtya, Āśrama-niyama, and Dāna-prasaṃsā
Duties of the Brāhmaṇa, āśrama discipline, and praise of giving
- वैवस्वत मन्वन्तरको आठ भागोंमें विभक्त करके जब अन्तिम आठवाँ भाग व्यतीत होने लगेगा
Bhīṣma uvāca | atraivodāharantīmam itihāsaṁ purātanam | śatakratoś ca saṁvādaṁ namuceś ca yudhiṣṭhira ||
भीष्मजी बोले—युधिष्ठिर! इसी प्रसंग में विद्वान लोग एक प्राचीन इतिहास का उदाहरण देते हैं—अर्थात् शतक्रतु (इन्द्र) और नमुचि का संवाद।
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma frames his instruction through an authoritative precedent: ethical and dharmic dilemmas are clarified by recalling well-known ancient exempla (itihasa), here the Indra–Namuci dialogue.
Bhishma begins a new illustrative story for Yudhishthira, announcing that he will recount an ancient dialogue between Indra (Shatakratu) and the Asura Namuci as a relevant example to the topic under discussion.