Shloka 76
Gopradāna-phalasaṃprāpti: Nāciketa’s Vision of Vaivasvata’s Realms (गोप्रदानफलसम्प्राप्तिः — नाचिकेतोपाख्यानम्)
यतश्न यद् यथा चैव देवसत्रे महामते । कुन्तीनन्दन! तुमने सावित्रीके शुभ वचनको भी सुना है। महामते देवताओंके यज्ञमें जिस हेतुसे और जिस प्रकार जो वचन सावित्रीने कहा था, वह इस प्रकार है--
yataśna yad yathā caiva devasatre mahāmate | kuntīnandana! tvam sāvitryāḥ śubha-vacanaṃ api śrutavān asi | mahāmate devatānāṃ yajñe yasmin hetau yathā ca yat vacanaṃ sāvitryā uvāca, tad idaṃ yathā—
भीष्म उवाच—कुन्तीनन्दन महामते, सावित्र्या शुभं वचनं त्वमपि श्रुतवानसि। देवसत्रे महायज्ञे यदर्थं यथा च सा वाक्यमब्रवीत्, तत् शृणु—एवं तत्।
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse functions as a framing device: Bhishma emphasizes that ethical instruction is grounded in authoritative, auspicious speech delivered with a clear purpose and proper method. It prepares the listener to receive Savitri’s words as a dharmic exemplar—teaching that intention (hetu) and manner (yathā) matter in moral counsel.
Bhishma addresses Yudhishthira and transitions into recounting Savitri’s statement. He notes that Yudhishthira has heard of it before and now introduces the context: during a devasatra (a divine sacrificial session), Savitri spoke certain words for a particular reason and in a particular way; Bhishma is about to quote or narrate them.