यदा च मम रामेण युद्धमासीत् सुदारुणम् । वसुभिश्न तदा राजन् कथेयं कथिता मम
yadā ca mama rāmeṇa yuddham āsīt sudāruṇam | vasubhiśna tadā rājan katheyaṃ kathitā mama ||
At nang minsan ay nagkaroon ako ng isang napakakakilabot na labanan kay Rāma, O hari, noon nga isinalaysay sa akin ang kuwentong ito kaugnay ng mga Vasu—kaya isinasalaysay ko ito rito ayon sa pagkakakwento noon.
भीष्म उवाच
Bhīṣma frames his account as remembered testimony: ethical reflection on dharma in conflict is grounded in truthful narration of past events, especially when great warriors and even divine beings (the Vasus) are involved.
Bhīṣma begins to recount the episode of his fierce battle with Rāma (Paraśurāma), telling the king that this same story had earlier been narrated in relation to the Vasus, and he now repeats it.