Haṃsa–Sādhya Saṃvāda: Satya, Dama, Kṣamā and the Discipline of Speech
भीष्म उवाच अत्र ते वर्तयिष्येडहमितिहासं पुरातनम् । अरिष्टनेमिना प्रोक्ते सगरायानुपृच्छते,भीष्मजीने कहा--राजन्! इस विषयमें राजा सगरके प्रश्न करनेपर अरिष्टनेमिने जो उत्तर दिया था, वह प्राचीन इतिहास मैं तुम्हें बताऊँगा
bhīṣma uvāca | atra te vartayiṣyed aham itihāsaṃ purātanam | ariṣṭaneminā prokte sagarāyānupṛcchate ||
Бхишма сказал: «Об этом я поведаю тебе древнее предание. Когда царь Сагара задал свой вопрос, Ариштанеми дал ответ — эту старинную повесть я ныне тебе расскажу».
भीष्म उवाच
The verse frames ethical instruction through an authoritative ‘ancient narrative’ (itihāsa): Bhishma signals that dharma is best understood not only through abstract rules but through precedent—how wise figures answered concrete royal questions.
Bhishma begins a new exemplum: he tells the listener that he will recount an old story in which King Sagara questioned Ariṣṭanemi, and Ariṣṭanemi responded—Bhishma is about to relay that exchange.