Shloka 4
Brāhmaṇya-प्रश्नः — The Inquiry into Attaining Brāhmaṇya
Mataṅga–Gardabhī Itihāsa
तपोवनगतं विप्रमभिगम्य महामुनिम् । पप्रच्छाज्िरसं धीर॑ गौतम: संशितव्रत:
tapovanagataṁ vipram abhigamya mahāmunim | papracchāṅgirasaṁ dhīro gautamaḥ saṁśitavrataḥ ||
មានកាលមួយ មហាមុនី អង្គិរា ព្រះវិប្រវរដ៏ធ្ងន់ធ្ងរ បានស្នាក់នៅក្នុងព្រៃតបស្យា។ នៅពេលនោះ មហារិសី គោតមៈ អ្នករក្សាវ្រតដ៏តឹងរឹង បានចូលទៅជិតព្រះអង្គ ហើយសួរដោយគោរព—
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse foregrounds the dharmic method of learning: a disciplined seeker (Gautama) approaches a realized ascetic teacher (Aṅgiras) in a setting of tapas and asks questions. Ethical knowledge is presented as something to be sought through humility, restraint, and inquiry.
Bhishma introduces a traditional frame-story: the sage Gautama goes to the tapovana where the great sage Aṅgiras is staying and poses a question to him. This functions as the narrative gateway to the instruction that follows in the chapter.