एतन्मे संशयं सर्वे याथातथ्यमनिन्दिता: । ऋषयो वक्तुमर्न्ति निश्चितार्थ तपोधना:,“तपोधन ऋषियो! आप सब लोग सबके द्वारा प्रशंसित हैं, अतः मेरे इस संशयको निश्चित एवं यथार्थ-रूपसे बतानेकी कृपा करें”
etan me saṁśayaṁ sarve yāthātathyam aninditāḥ | ṛṣayo vaktum arhanti niścitārthā tapodhanāḥ ||
ビーシュマは言った。「咎なき賢仙たちよ、あなたがたは万人に称えられている。ゆえに、事の真実を—明らかに、確かに—語って、わが疑いを解いてほしい。あなたがたは苦行の徳に富み、義理において定まった理解を備えているのだから。」
भीष्म उवाच
A seeker should approach qualified, blameless authorities and request a truthful, definite clarification. Ethical understanding (dharma) is to be grounded in yāthātathya—things as they truly are—spoken by those steady in insight and disciplined by tapas.
Bhīṣma addresses a group of sages, acknowledging their unimpeachable character and spiritual discipline, and asks them to resolve his uncertainty by giving a clear and accurate account of the matter in question.