Shloka 75
ब्राह्मणस्य पूर्वतरा वृत्तिः — The Earlier Ideal Conduct of a Brahmana
River-of-Saṃsāra Metaphor
त्वमेव हि पुरा वेत्थ यत् तदा पौरुषं मम
tvam eva hi purā vettha yat tadā pauruṣaṃ mama
ビーシュマは言った。「汝のみが、はるか昔より知っていたのだ。あの時の我が男の決意と力—我がいかに振る舞い、何を成し得たかを。」
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhīṣma appeals to a trusted witness’s prior knowledge to establish the truth of his past conduct and capability. Ethically, it highlights accountability: one’s earlier choices and strength are not merely self-claimed but are validated by those who truly knew the circumstances.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction, Bhīṣma—speaking to his listener—refers back to an earlier episode and asserts that the listener already knows what Bhīṣma’s valor and resolve were at that time, using recollection to support his ongoing counsel.