Shloka 37

Śara-śayyā-sthita-bhīṣma-saṃvāda-prastāvaḥ

The Prelude to Questioning Bhīṣma on the Bed of Arrows

Devanagari script

धर्म शुश्रूषमाणे भ्य: पृष्टेन च सता पुन:

Transliteration

dharmaśuśrūṣamāṇebhyaḥ pṛṣṭena ca satā punaḥ

Translation

Thần Vāyu nói: “Lại nữa, khi người hiền đức hỏi han, và khi người nghe là những kẻ một lòng phụng sự và học hỏi dharma, thì điều ấy phải được giảng giải—để chính đạo được hiểu rõ và gìn giữ.”

Word by Word

• धर्म: dharma, righteousness
• धर्म: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• शुश्रूषमाणेभ्यः: to those who are serving/attending (obediently)
• शुश्रूषमाणेभ्यः: Sampradana
• Type: Verb
• Root: शुश्रूष् (शुश्रूषमाण)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Dative, Plural

• पृष्टेन: by/with (one) asked; when asked
• पृष्टेन: Karana
• Type: Verb
• Root: पृच्छ् (पृष्ट)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• सता: by a good/virtuous person
• सता: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• पुनः: again, moreover
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vāyudeva

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Dharma is best communicated in response to sincere questioning and to those who are genuinely eager to listen and learn; ethical instruction depends on both a worthy teacher and a receptive, dharma-oriented audience.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyudeva is speaking within an instructive dialogue in the Śānti Parva, framing his response as prompted by a righteous questioner and directed toward listeners devoted to dharma, thereby legitimizing and emphasizing the forthcoming teaching.