Shloka 5
Bhīṣma’s Dream-Counsel and the Prasvāpa Astra (भीष्मस्वप्नदर्शनम् / प्रस्वापास्त्रोपदेशः)
ततो<पश्यं दिविष्ठान् वै तानष्टौ ब्रह्म॒वादिन: । ते मां स्मयन्तो राजेन्द्र शनकैरिदमन्रुवन्,राजेन्द्र! तत्पश्चात् मैंने आकाशमें खड़े हुए उन आठों ब्रह्मवादी वसुओंको देखा। वे मुसकराते हुए मुझसे धीरे-धीरे इस प्रकार बोले--
tato ’paśyaṁ diviṣṭhān vai tān aṣṭau brahmavādinaḥ | te māṁ smayanto rājendra śanakair idam anruvan ||
Kemudian, wahai Raja, aku melihat lapan Vasu yang teguh di syurga—para bijaksana yang menuturkan kebenaran Brahman. Sambil tersenyum, mereka berkata kepadaku dengan lembut, demikianlah…
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse sets up a dharmic instruction: beings established in heaven and grounded in Brahman speak gently to guide a human agent. It implies that ethical clarity is supported by higher truth and that counsel should be delivered with composure rather than harshness.
Bhīṣma narrates that he sees eight celestial Vasus standing in the sky/heaven. They smile and begin to speak to him softly, introducing the forthcoming message or instruction.