Shloka 3
Keśava-tattva-kathana
On the Principle of Keśava: Cosmogony and Divine Epithets
भीष्म उवाच तथेत्येवं प्रतिश्रुत्य धर्म सम्पूज्य च प्रभो । यम॑ काल च मृत्युं च स्वर्ग सम्पूज्य चाहत:
bhīṣma uvāca | tathety evaṃ pratiśrutya dharmaṃ sampūjya ca prabho | yamaṃ kālaṃ ca mṛtyuṃ ca svargaṃ sampūjya cāhataḥ |
毗湿摩说道：“那婆罗门以‘如是’应诺，先恭敬礼奉法（Dharma），继而礼拜阎摩（Yama）、时（Time）、死（Death）与天界（Heaven），视之为可敬的神圣权能。随后他以至诚致敬——向先在座的婆罗门及后至的尊贵婆罗门俯首至足——尽其应有礼数，然后方对国王开口。”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores reverence for Dharma and the cosmic regulators—Yama (moral recompense), Kāla (time), Mṛtyu (mortality), and Svarga (the fruit of merit). Ethically, it models humility and proper conduct: before speaking to power (the king), one honors the moral order and pays due respect to the learned.
Bhishma narrates that a Brahmin first agrees (“So be it”), then performs worship of Dharma and other personified cosmic powers, and respectfully honors the Brahmins present. Having completed these courtesies, he proceeds to address the king, setting a solemn and dharmic frame for what he is about to say.