Shloka 1
आपद्धर्मे कोशबलन्यायः | Treasury, Force, and Crisis-Ethics for the King
ऑपन-माज बक। डे सप्तविशर्त्याधेकशततमो< ध्याय: ऋषभका राजा सुमित्रको वीरद्युम्न और तनु मुनिका वृत्तान्त सुनाना भीष्म उवाच ततस्तेषां समस्तानामृषीणामृषिसत्तम: । ऋषभो नाम विदप्रर्षिविस्मयन्निदमब्रवीत्
bhīṣma uvāca | tatas teṣāṃ samastānām ṛṣīṇām ṛṣisattamaḥ | ṛṣabho nāma brahmarṣir vismayann idam abravīt ||
毗湿摩曰：其后，诸仙众会之中，最上之见者——名为梨沙婆（Ṛṣabha）之婆罗门大仙（Brahmarṣi）——对所发生之事惊异不已，遂如是言。于《寂静篇》之伦理脉络中，此景昭示转折：一位证悟之圣者因奇异而动，将为坚定由提施提罗之心、明辨法（dharma）而宣说教诲。
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
This opening verse functions as a framing device: it establishes that a foremost sage (Rishabha) is about to speak, implying that the forthcoming instruction carries authoritative weight for understanding dharma and right conduct—especially relevant to Yudhishthira’s moral recovery in the Shanti Parva.
Bhishma narrates that, after certain events, the gathered sages are present; among them, the Brahmarshi Rishabha, filled with wonder, begins to speak. The verse marks the handover from narration to a sage’s direct discourse.