Śara-śayyā-sthita-bhīṣma-saṃvāda-prastāvaḥ
The Prelude to Questioning Bhīṣma on the Bed of Arrows
यच्च त्वं वक्ष्यसे भीष्म पाण्डवायानुपृच्छते । वेदप्रवाद इव ते स्थास्यते वसुधातले
yac ca tvaṃ vakṣyase bhīṣma pāṇḍavāyānupṛcchate | vedapravāda iva te sthāsyate vasudhātale ||
ಭೀಷ್ಮನೇ! ಪಾಂಡವ ಯುಧಿಷ್ಠಿರನು ಪ್ರಶ್ನಿಸಿದಾಗ ನೀನು ಉತ್ತರವಾಗಿ ಏನು ಹೇಳುವೆಯೋ, ಅದು ಈ ಭೂತಳದಲ್ಲಿ ವೇದಪ್ರವಚನದಂತೆ ಪ್ರಮಾಣವಾಗಿ ಸ್ಥಿರವಾಗಿರುತ್ತದೆ.
वायुदेव उवाच
Bhīṣma’s forthcoming answers to Yudhiṣṭhira are affirmed as enduring, Veda-like authority—implying that dharma taught by a realized elder, grounded in tradition and lived wisdom, becomes a reliable standard for society.
In Śānti Parva’s instruction-setting, Vāyudeva addresses Bhīṣma and foretells that when Yudhiṣṭhira (the Pāṇḍava) questions him, Bhīṣma’s replies will be accepted on earth like established Vedic doctrine.