भीष्म उवाच अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम् । भिक्षो: पजचशिखस्येह संवादं जनकस्य च,भीष्मजीने कहा--युधिष्ठिर! इस विषयमें विद्वान् पुरुष संन्यासी पंचशिख तथा राजा जनकके संवादरूप इस प्राचीन इतिहासका उदाहरण दिया करते हैं
bhīṣma uvāca | atrāpy udāharantīmam itihāsaṃ purātanam | bhikṣoḥ pañcaśikhasyeha saṃvādaṃ janakasya ca ||
ພີສະມະ ກ່າວວ່າ: «ຢຸທິສຖິຣະ, ໃນເລື່ອງນີ້ ບັນດານັກປັນຍາຍັງຍົກຕົວຢ່າງຈາກປະຫວັດເກົ່າແກ່ອັນໜຶ່ງ—ນັ່ນຄື ການສົນທະນາໃນບັນບົດນີ້ ລະຫວ່າງພະພິກຂຸ (ນັກບວດຈາລິກ) ປັນຈະສິຂະ ແລະ ພະຣາຊາ ຈະນະກະ».
भीष्म उवाच
Bhishma frames the instruction through an authoritative precedent: ethical and spiritual questions are clarified by recalling an ancient dialogue between a renunciant (Panchashikha) and an ideal king (Janaka), suggesting that dharma can be illuminated through reasoned discourse across social roles.
Bhishma introduces a traditional story (itihāsa) as an illustrative example, announcing that he will recount the conversation between the mendicant Panchashikha and King Janaka to address the issue under discussion with Yudhishthira.