Shloka 12
यथोक्तमेतद् वचन प्रागेव मनुना पुरा । यन्मयोक्तं मनुष्येन्द्र ब्रह्मणो वचन महत्
bhīṣma uvāca | yathoktam etad vacanaṃ prāg eva manunā purā | yan mayoktaṃ manuṣyendra brahmaṇo vacanaṃ mahat ||
毗湿摩说道：“这番话确已在久远之前由摩奴说过。人中最胜者啊，我所宣说的，乃是梵天（Brahmā）的伟大圣言。由于摩奴先前已宣告过它，因此也被称为‘先前之言’（prāg-vacana）。又因为它阐明了世间行事与裁断的原则（vyavahāra），所以在此被称作‘毗耶婆诃罗’（Vyavahāra）。”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma grounds his instruction in recognized authority: the same rule was taught earlier by Manu and ultimately reflects Brahmā’s great pronouncement. Because it guides practical dealings and adjudication, it is classified under vyavahāra—dharma as applied to real-world conduct and legal order.
In the Śānti Parva dialogue, Bhishma continues advising the king (Yudhiṣṭhira). Here he clarifies that his present teaching is not novel: it is an ancient doctrine already stated by Manu and traceable to Brahmā, thereby reinforcing its legitimacy for governance and social/legal practice.