Shloka 7
Śara-śayyā-sthita-bhīṣma-saṃvāda-prastāvaḥ
The Prelude to Questioning Bhīṣma on the Bed of Arrows
मुहूर्तमिव च ध्यात्वा नारदो देवदर्शन: । उवाच पाण्डवान् सर्वान् हतशिष्टांश्व पार्थिवान्
muhūrtam iva ca dhyātvā nārado devadarśanaḥ | uvāca pāṇḍavān sarvān hataśiṣṭāṁś ca pārthivān ||
毗湿摩波罗衍那说：稍作沉思之后，具天眼的天仙那罗陀（Nārada）开口，对诸般度婆（Pāṇḍava）以及其余幸存的诸王说道。那短暂的停顿，正是战后劝诫所需的审慎：言语必须引导悲痛与权势，重归于法（dharma）。
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical necessity of thoughtful deliberation before giving guidance, especially in the fragile post-war context. Nārada’s brief reflection signals that counsel to rulers should be measured, dharma-oriented, and responsive to collective suffering.
Vaiśampāyana narrates that Nārada, possessing divine vision, pauses to reflect and then begins speaking to the Pāṇḍavas and the other kings who survived the great slaughter, setting up a discourse meant to guide them in the aftermath of the war.