Brāhmaṇa-pūjā, Haviḥ-dāna, and the Vāsudeva–Pṛthivī Saṃvāda
Chapter 34
भीष्म उवाच अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम् | नारदस्य च संवाद वासुदेवस्य चोभयो:
bhīṣma uvāca | atrāpy udāharantīmam itihāsaṃ purātanam | nāradasya ca saṃvādaṃ vāsudevasya cobhayoḥ ||
भीष्म उवाच— अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम्। नारदस्य च संवादं वासुदेवस्य चोभयोः॥
भीष्म उवाच
Bhishma signals that ethical instruction (dharma) is best clarified through authoritative precedents: an ancient itihasa, specifically a dialogue between Narada and Krishna, is invoked to illuminate the issue under discussion.
Bhishma transitions into a cited story: he introduces an old account framed as a conversation between the sage Narada and Vasudeva (Krishna), which will serve as an illustrative example for Yudhishthira.