Shloka 78
पापात्म-धर्मात्म-लक्षणम् तथा निर्वेदेन मोक्षमार्गः | Marks of the Sinful and the Righteous; Dispassion (Nirveda) as a Path to Liberation
धर्मोपदेश करनेवाले पुरुषसे यदि कोई प्रश्न करे तो उसे देरतक सोच-विचार कर ही उत्तर देना चाहिये। ऐसा करनेसे उसको देरतक पश्चात्ताप नहीं करना पड़ता है ।।
bhīṣma uvāca | dharmopadeśa-karaṇe vāle puruṣa-se yadi kaścid praśnaṃ karet, tarhi tasmai dīrghaṃ cintayitvā eva uttaraṃ dātavyaṃ | evaṃ kṛte tasya dīrgha-kālaṃ paścāt-tāpo na bhavati || upāsyā bahulās tasminn āśrame sumahā-tapāḥ | samāḥ svargaṃ gato vipraḥ putreṇa sahitas tadā ||
毗湿摩说：“若有人向宣说达摩之人发问，当在长久思量之后方可作答。如此回答，日后便不致陷入长久的悔恨。就在那座林苑精舍中，多年来许多可敬的大苦行者都受供养与礼敬；其后，那位婆罗门——苦行宏深的梵仙（brahmarṣi）乔达摩——与其子迟罗迦梨（Cirakārī）一同升往天界。”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
A teacher of dharma should answer questions only after careful, extended reflection; measured speech prevents later remorse and protects the integrity of moral instruction.
After stating the ethical rule about thoughtful replies, the verse situates the teaching within the account of the sage Gautama: he lived for many years in his hermitage among many revered ascetics and later attained heaven together with his son Cirakārī.