Shloka 51
Kṛṣṇa’s Departure, Auspicious Omens, and the Opening of the Uttaṅka Dialogue (कृष्णप्रयाण-निमित्त-उत्तङ्कसंवाद-प्रारम्भः)
इस प्रकार श्रीमह्याभारत आश्वमेधिकपर्वके अन्तर्गत अनुगीतापर्वमें गुरुशिष्यसंवादाविषयक इकक््यावनवाँ अध्याय पूरा हुआ
evaṁ bruvati kauravye dharmarāje yudhiṣṭhire | vāsudevo varaḥ puṁsām idaṁ vacanam abravīt ||
Habang nagsasalita nang gayon si Dharmarāja Yudhiṣṭhira ng angkan ng Kuru, si Vāsudeva—ang pinakadakila sa mga tao—ay nagsalita sa kanya sa mga salitang ito. Lumihis ang salaysay mula sa paliwanag ng alagad tungo sa tugon ng guro, hudyat ng paglipat sa patnubay na nakaugat sa dharma at wastong asal.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse functions as a hinge: it emphasizes that dharma-oriented discourse invites authoritative guidance. By introducing Vāsudeva’s response to Dharmarāja, it frames the coming instruction as ethically normative and meant to clarify right conduct.
While Yudhiṣṭhira is speaking, the narrator notes that Kṛṣṇa (Vāsudeva), described as foremost among men, begins to speak. This marks a transition from Yudhiṣṭhira’s words to Kṛṣṇa’s counsel within the ongoing dialogue context.