Shloka 29
मृत्यु-काल-प्रबोधनम् (Instruction on Mortality, Time, and Truth) — Mahābhārata, Śānti-parva 169
भीष्म उवाच हन्त ते वर्तयिष्येडहमितिहासं पुरातनम् । उदीच्यां दिशि यद् वृत्तं म्लेच्छेषु मनुजाधिप
bhīṣma uvāca hanta te vartayiṣye ’ham itihāsaṃ purātanam | udīcyāṃ diśi yad vṛttaṃ mleccheṣu manujādhipa ||
ਭੀਸ਼ਮ ਨੇ ਆਖਿਆ—ਹੇ ਮਨੁਜਾਧਿਪ! ਸੁਣੋ, ਮੈਂ ਤੁਹਾਨੂੰ ਇੱਕ ਪ੍ਰਾਚੀਨ ਇਤਿਹਾਸ ਸੁਣਾਂਦਾ ਹਾਂ। ਇਹ ਘਟਨਾ ਉੱਤਰ ਦਿਸ਼ਾ ਵਿੱਚ ਮਲੇਛਾਂ ਦੇ ਦੇਸ਼ ਵਿੱਚ ਵਾਪਰੀ ਸੀ।
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames a dharma-oriented instruction through an ancient exemplum: Bhishma signals that ethical guidance for a king may be conveyed via old narratives, even when the setting lies beyond orthodox cultural regions (among the Mlecchas).
Bhishma begins a new illustrative tale, telling the king that he will narrate an ancient incident that took place in the northern lands among the Mlecchas, preparing the listener for a didactic episode.