Shloka 2
दैव–पुरुषकार-प्रश्नः
Daiva–Puruṣakāra Inquiry: Fate and Human Effort
भीष्म उवाच अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम् । वसिष्ठस्य च संवादं ब्रह्मणश्न॒ युधिष्ठिर,भीष्मजीने कहा--युधिष्ठिर! इस विषयमें वसिष्ठ और ब्रह्माजीके संवादरूप एक प्राचीन इतिहासका उदाहण दिया जाता है
bhīṣma uvāca | atrāpy udāharantīmam itihāsaṁ purātanam | vasiṣṭhasya ca saṁvādaṁ brahmaṇaś ca yudhiṣṭhira ||
ภีษมะกล่าวว่า “โอ ยุธิษฐิระ ในเรื่องนี้เองก็มีการยกอิติหาสะโบราณขึ้นเป็นอุทาหรณ์ คือบทสนทนาระหว่างวสิษฐะกับพระพรหม”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma frames his instruction on dharma by appealing to authoritative precedent: an ancient itihāsa presented as a dialogue between revered figures (Vasiṣṭha and Brahmā), implying that ethical guidance should be grounded in time-tested wisdom.
Bhishma, addressing Yudhishthira, introduces an illustrative story. He signals that the next teaching will be supported by an old account—specifically, a discourse between the sage Vasiṣṭha and the creator-god Brahmā.