Shloka 1
सान्त्व-निति: (Sāntva-Nīti) — The One-Word Principle of Conciliation
अत चतुरशीतितमो< ध्याय: इन्द्र और बृहस्पतिके संवादमें सान्त्वनापूर्ण मधुर वचन बोलनेका महत्त्व भीष्म उवाच अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम् । बृहस्पतेश्न संवादं शक्रस्य च युधिछ्िर
bhīṣma uvāca | atrāpy udāharantīmam itihāsaṁ purātanam | bṛhaspateḥ śakrasya ca saṁvādaṁ yudhiṣṭhira ||
ഭീഷ്മൻ പറഞ്ഞു—യുധിഷ്ഠിരാ! ഈ വിഷയത്തിലും ജനങ്ങൾ ഒരു പുരാതന ഇതിഹാസം ഉദാഹരണമായി പറയുന്നു—ശക്രൻ (ഇന്ദ്രൻ)യും ബൃഹസ്പതിയും തമ്മിലുള്ള സംവാദം; അത് കേൾക്കുക.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma frames his instruction through an authoritative precedent (itihāsa): ethical guidance is reinforced by recalling exemplary dialogues of revered figures—here, Indra and his preceptor Brihaspati—often used to teach the value of wise, conciliatory counsel and disciplined speech.
Bhishma begins a new illustrative episode for Yudhishthira, announcing that he will recount an ancient account in the form of a dialogue between Shakra (Indra) and Brihaspati, which will serve as an example for the topic under discussion.