Shloka 88
ब्राह्मणस्य पूर्वतरा वृत्तिः — The Earlier Ideal Conduct of a Brahmana
River-of-Saṃsāra Metaphor
एवमुक्त: सहस्राक्षो भगवान् पाकशासन:
evam uktaḥ sahasrākṣo bhagavān pākāśāsanaḥ
Bhīṣma berkata: Setelah disapa demikian, Tuhan bermata seribu—Indra, penghukum Pāka—menjawab, menangani perkara itu dengan cara yang selayaknya bagi kewibawaan ketuhanannya serta keprihatinannya terhadap tertib dharma.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse functions as a narrative hinge: when a righteous or significant question is put forward, a higher authority (here Indra) is portrayed as responding in alignment with dharma, underscoring that ethical order is upheld through accountable speech and principled reply.
Bhīṣma marks a transition: someone has spoken to Indra, and now Indra—identified by epithets highlighting his power and vigilance—is about to answer, moving the discourse forward within the Shānti Parva’s instruction on dharma and governance.