Śara-śayyā-sthita-bhīṣma-saṃvāda-prastāvaḥ
The Prelude to Questioning Bhīṣma on the Bed of Arrows
तस्मात् पुन्रनैश्न पौत्रैश्न धर्मान् पृष्टानू सनातनान् | विद्वाञ्जिज्ञासमानैस्त्वं प्रब्रूहि भरतर्षभ
tasmāt punar naiśnau pautraiś ca dharmān pṛṣṭān anu sanātanān | vidvān jijñāsamānais tvaṃ prabrūhi bharatarṣabha ||
“因此,婆罗多族中的雄牛啊,请你再一次宣说那被问及的、永恒而古老的法度(dharma)原则——这是孙辈与奈什那所求问的;你既睿智,而他们又渴望求知。”
वायुदेव उवाच
The verse emphasizes that dharma is ‘sanātana’—a perennial moral order—and that the wise should articulate it clearly when sincere seekers inquire, especially in response to specific questions.
Vāyudeva urges a respected Bharata elder/teacher to speak again and explain the eternal dharmas that have been asked about by Naiśna and the grandsons, highlighting the teacher’s learning and the listeners’ desire to understand.