Shloka 1
Bhīṣma’s Hymn to Viṣṇu and Kṛṣṇa’s Criteria for Divine Self-Disclosure
/ अपना छा अकाल एकपज्चाशत्तमो<5 ध्याय: भीष्मके द्वारा श्रीकृष्णकी स्तुति तथा श्रीकृष्णका भीष्मकी प्रशंसा करते हुए उन्हें का लिये धर्मोपदेश करनेका आदेश वैशम्पायन उवाच श्रुत्वा तु वचनं भीष्मो वासुदेवस्य धीमतः । किंचिदुन्नाम्य वदनं प्राउ्जलिवॉाक्यमब्रवीत्
vaiśampāyana uvāca | śrutvā tu vacanaṃ bhīṣmo vāsudevasya dhīmataḥ | kiñcid unnāmya vadanaṃ prāñjalir vākyam abravīt ||
Vaiśampāyana nói: Nghe lời của Vāsudeva bậc trí, Bhīṣma khẽ ngẩng mặt lên và chắp tay cung kính mà thưa. Cảnh ấy nêu bật đức khiêm cung và sự chú tâm có kỷ luật: vị lão tướng, dẫu trọng thương, vẫn tiếp nhận lời khuyên với lòng sùng kính và sẵn sàng để được dẫn dắt theo dharma.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse models the ethical posture required for receiving dharma: attentive listening, humility, and reverential readiness to respond to wise instruction—especially significant as Bhīṣma, a great authority, still approaches Kṛṣṇa’s words with deference.
After Kṛṣṇa speaks, Bhīṣma physically lifts his face slightly and joins his palms, then begins to reply. It marks a transition into Bhīṣma’s forthcoming discourse, framed as a respectful response to Kṛṣṇa.