Shloka 1
Bhīṣma’s Hymn to Viṣṇu and Kṛṣṇa’s Criteria for Divine Self-Disclosure
/ अपना छा अकाल एकपज्चाशत्तमो<5 ध्याय: भीष्मके द्वारा श्रीकृष्णकी स्तुति तथा श्रीकृष्णका भीष्मकी प्रशंसा करते हुए उन्हें का लिये धर्मोपदेश करनेका आदेश वैशम्पायन उवाच श्रुत्वा तु वचनं भीष्मो वासुदेवस्य धीमतः । किंचिदुन्नाम्य वदनं प्राउ्जलिवॉाक्यमब्रवीत्
vaiśampāyana uvāca | śrutvā tu vacanaṃ bhīṣmo vāsudevasya dhīmataḥ | kiñcid unnāmya vadanaṃ prāñjalir vākyam abravīt ||
ਵੈਸ਼ੰਪਾਯਨ ਨੇ ਕਿਹਾ—ਰਾਜਨ! ਪਰਮ ਬੁੱਧਿਮਾਨ ਵਾਸੁਦੇਵ-ਨੰਦਨ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਕ੍ਰਿਸ਼ਨ ਦੇ ਬਚਨ ਸੁਣ ਕੇ ਭੀਸ਼ਮ ਨੇ ਆਪਣਾ ਮੁਖ ਕੁਝ ਉੱਪਰ ਚੁੱਕਿਆ ਅਤੇ ਹੱਥ ਜੋੜ ਕੇ ਬੋਲਿਆ।
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse models the ethical posture required for receiving dharma: attentive listening, humility, and reverential readiness to respond to wise instruction—especially significant as Bhīṣma, a great authority, still approaches Kṛṣṇa’s words with deference.
After Kṛṣṇa speaks, Bhīṣma physically lifts his face slightly and joins his palms, then begins to reply. It marks a transition into Bhīṣma’s forthcoming discourse, framed as a respectful response to Kṛṣṇa.