Shloka 9

Devanagari script

भीष्म उवाच अनुयुक्त: स मेधावी लोकधर्मविधानवित्‌ । उवाच श्लक्ष्णया वाचा प्रह्मादमनपार्थया,भीष्मजी कहते हैं--राजन्‌! प्रहादके इस प्रकार पूछनेपर लोक-धर्मके विधानको जाननेवाले उन मेधावी मुनिने उनसे मधुर एवं सार्थक वाणीमें इस प्रकार कहा

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca | anuyuktaḥ sa medhāvī lokadharmavidhānavit | uvāca ślakṣṇayā vācā prahrādam anapārthayā ||

Translation

ビーシュマは言った。「王よ。プラフラーダがこのように問いかけると、世のダルマの規定に通じたその賢明な聖仙は、柔らかく、要を得て意味深い言葉でプラフラーダにこう答えた。」

Word by Word

भीष्मःBhishma

उवाचsaid

अनुयुक्तःhaving been questioned / when questioned

सःhe

मेधावीthe intelligent one

लोकधर्मविधानवित्knower of the ordinances of worldly duty

उवाचsaid

श्लक्ष्णयाwith gentle/smooth

वाचाspeech/words

प्रह्लादम्Prahlada

अनपार्थयाnot meaningless / not irrelevant (i.e., meaningful)

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhishma

Prahrada

the wise sage (unnamed)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames ethical instruction: true guidance on dharma should be delivered with gentleness and with purposeful, relevant speech by one who understands the practical rules of social conduct (loka-dharma).

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma narrates that after Prahrada asks a question, a wise sage knowledgeable in worldly dharma responds to him in a calm, sweet, and meaningful manner, setting up the forthcoming teaching.