Śukasya Janma-yoga-phalaṁ — Vyāsasya Tapasā Putrārthaḥ (Śānti-parva 310)
भीष्म उवाच अत्र ते वर्तयिष्यामि इतिहासं पुरातनम् । याज्ञवल्क्यस्य संवादं जनकस्य च भारत,भीष्मजी बोले--भरतनन्दन! इस विषयमें मैं तुम्हें जनक और याज्ञवल्क्यका संवादरूप एक प्राचीन इतिहास सुनाऊँगा
bhīṣma uvāca: atra te vartayiṣyāmi itihāsaṃ purātanam | yājñavalkyasya saṃvādaṃ janakasya ca bhārata ||
Bhīṣma nói: “Này hậu duệ Bharata, ở đây ta sẽ thuật lại cho con một truyền tích cổ xưa—cuộc đối thoại giữa Yājñavalkya và vua Janaka—nhờ đó điều con hỏi sẽ được soi sáng.”
भीष्म उवाच
The verse frames instruction through an authoritative ancient dialogue: Bhishma signals that ethical and dharmic clarity will be conveyed by recounting the celebrated discourse between the sage Yājñavalkya and King Janaka, a model pairing of spiritual wisdom and righteous rulership.
Bhishma begins a new illustrative episode: he tells the listener (addressed as “Bhārata”) that he will now narrate an old traditional account, specifically the dialogue between Yājñavalkya and Janaka, as a means to explain the topic under discussion.