Shloka 12
Daṇḍotpatti-kathana (Origin and Function of Daṇḍa) — वसुहोम–मान्धातृ संवाद
यथोक्तमेतद् वचन प्रागेव मनुना पुरा । यन्मयोक्तं मनुष्येन्द्र ब्रह्मणो वचन महत्
bhīṣma uvāca | yathoktam etad vacanaṃ prāg eva manunā purā | yan mayoktaṃ manuṣyendra brahmaṇo vacanaṃ mahat ||
भीष्म म्हणाले—हे नरश्रेष्ठ, हे वचन मनूंनी फार पूर्वीच सांगितले आहे. मी जे सांगितले, ते ब्रह्मदेवाचे महान वचन आहे. मनूंनी आधीच उच्चारल्यामुळे याला ‘प्राग्वचन’ असेही म्हणतात; आणि यात व्यवहार (लोक-न्याय/कार्यपद्धती) प्रतिपादित असल्याने येथे यास ‘व्यवहार’ असे नाव दिले आहे.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma grounds his instruction in recognized authority: the same rule was taught earlier by Manu and ultimately reflects Brahmā’s great pronouncement. Because it guides practical dealings and adjudication, it is classified under vyavahāra—dharma as applied to real-world conduct and legal order.
In the Śānti Parva dialogue, Bhishma continues advising the king (Yudhiṣṭhira). Here he clarifies that his present teaching is not novel: it is an ancient doctrine already stated by Manu and traceable to Brahmā, thereby reinforcing its legitimacy for governance and social/legal practice.