Shloka 1
Brāhmaṇa-kṛtya, Āśrama-niyama, and Dāna-prasaṃsā
Duties of the Brāhmaṇa, āśrama discipline, and praise of giving
- वैवस्वत मन्वन्तरको आठ भागोंमें विभक्त करके जब अन्तिम आठवाँ भाग व्यतीत होने लगेगा
Bhīṣma uvāca | atraivodāharantīmam itihāsaṁ purātanam | śatakratoś ca saṁvādaṁ namuceś ca yudhiṣṭhira ||
भीष्म उवाच—अत्रैवोदाहरन्ति इममितिहासं पुरातनम्। शतक्रतोर्नमुचेः संवादं युधिष्ठिर, विद्वांसः प्रचक्षते॥
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma frames his instruction through an authoritative precedent: ethical and dharmic dilemmas are clarified by recalling well-known ancient exempla (itihasa), here the Indra–Namuci dialogue.
Bhishma begins a new illustrative story for Yudhishthira, announcing that he will recount an ancient dialogue between Indra (Shatakratu) and the Asura Namuci as a relevant example to the topic under discussion.