Shloka 8
बक-गौतमाख्यानम् / The Baka–Gautama Account
On Gratitude and Friendship Ethics
ततस्तस्योत्तरं वाक््यं स्वरवर्णोपपादितम् । शिक्षया चोपपन्नाय द्रोणशिष्याय भारत
tatas tasyottaraṃ vākyaṃ svaravarṇopapāditam | śikṣayā copapannāya droṇaśiṣyāya bhārata vaiśampāyana uvāca—bharatanandana janamejaya buddhimān mādrīputro nakulasya sā vāk kauśalayuktā to thā hī sūkṣmā tathā vicitrārthena ca sampannā | tāṃ śrutvā bāṇaśayyāyāṃ śayānaḥ dhanurvedapāragaḥ vidvān dharmajño bhīṣmaḥ śikṣāprāptaṃ mahāmanasvinaṃ droṇaśiṣyaṃ nakulaṃ sundara-svara-varṇayuktayā vāṇyā evam uttaraṃ prārabhata |
毗湿摩波罗衍那说道：于是，他以音调与音节皆臻圆满之言作了回答。噢，婆罗多啊——这便是对德罗那之弟子、受过“声学与正诵之学”（śikṣā）训练、善于正音吐字者所作的回应。噢，婆罗多族之欢悦者阇那美阇耶：摩德丽之子那俱罗，智者也，所言本已娴熟；其辞又幽微精妙，含义纷纭而丰赡。毗湿摩——卧于箭床之上，通达弓术之学，亦明了法（dharma）者——闻之，便以悦耳的抑扬与清晰的音素之语，开始答复心志宏大的德罗那弟子那俱罗。
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse foregrounds the ethical value of disciplined speech and learning: a statement that is skillful, subtle, and meaning-rich—delivered with proper phonetic training (śikṣā), clear sounds (varṇa), and correct intonation (svara)—is worthy of serious dharmic response. It frames dharma-instruction as requiring both inner wisdom and outer clarity of expression.
Nakula, described as wise and trained under Droṇa, has spoken a nuanced and well-articulated statement. Bhīṣma, lying on the bed of arrows and renowned as both a master of archery and a knower of dharma, hears Nakula’s words and begins his reply. Vaiśampāyana narrates this to King Janamejaya.