Shloka 4
Dasyu-maryādā and Buddhi-guided Rāja-nīti (दस्युमर्यादा तथा बुद्धिप्रधान-राजनीति)
भीष्म उवाच शृणुष्व राजन यद् वृत्तं ब्रह्मदत्तनिवेशने । पूजन्या सह संवादं ब्रह्मुदत्तस्य भूपते:
bhīṣma uvāca śṛṇuṣva rājan yad vṛttaṃ brahmadattaniveśane | pūjanyā saha saṃvādaṃ brahmadattasya bhūpate ||
Bhishma berkata: “Wahai raja, dengarkanlah apa yang berlaku di kediaman Brahmadatta. Aku akan menceritakan, wahai pemerintah, dialog yang diadakan Brahmadatta dengan seorang wanita yang mulia dan patut dihormati.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames dharma-instruction through attentive listening and respectful dialogue: a king is urged to learn from an exemplary conversation, implying that ethical governance is strengthened by honoring worthy counsel and reflecting on instructive narratives.
Bhishma begins introducing an illustrative episode: he asks the king to hear what occurred at Brahmadatta’s residence and announces that he will recount Brahmadatta’s dialogue with a revered woman, setting up a didactic story within the Shanti Parva discourse.