Shloka 41
Puruṣaikatva-vyākhyāna: The One Virāṭ Puruṣa and the Many ‘Puruṣas’
Rudra–Brahmā Saṃvāda
भीष्म उवाच एतत् ते सर्वमाख्यातं सम्भूता मानवा यथा । नारदो5पि यथा श्वेतं द्वीपं स गतवानृषि: । तत् ते सर्व प्रवक्ष्यामि शृुणुष्वैकमना नूप
bhīṣma uvāca etat te sarvam ākhyātaṃ sambhūtā mānavā yathā | nārado 'pi yathā śvetaṃ dvīpaṃ sa gatavān ṛṣiḥ | tat te sarvaṃ pravakṣyāmi śṛṇuṣvaikamanā nṛpa ||
Bhīṣma nói: “Ta đã kể cho ngài tất cả—rằng loài người đã sinh khởi như thế nào. Nay ta sẽ thuật lại thêm việc hiền giả Nārada đã du hành đến Bạch Đảo (Śveta-dvīpa) ra sao. Ta sẽ nói trọn vẹn mọi điều; xin hãy lắng nghe với tâm nhất niệm, hỡi đại vương.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse emphasizes disciplined listening and orderly transmission of sacred knowledge: after completing one account (the origin of humans), Bhishma signals a transition to the next (Narada’s journey), urging the king to hear with focused attention—an ethical posture for receiving dharma-instruction.
Bhishma, continuing his instruction to the king in Shanti Parva, concludes that he has already explained the origin of mankind and now announces that he will narrate how the sage Narada went to Shveta-dvipa (the White Island), asking the king to listen attentively.