Shloka 59

ब्राह्मणपूजा-राजधर्मः | Royal Duty of Honoring Learned Brahmins

Devanagari script

ऋग्गवेदे वर्तते चाग्रया श्रुतिर्यस्थ महात्मन:

Transliteration

ṛgvede vartate cāgrayā śrutir yatra mahātmanaḥ |

Translation

قال بهيشما: «في الريغفيدا تُوجد شروتي (śruti) جليلة رفيعة، هي من أسبق ما يُتلى، متصلة بذلك الحكيم العظيم النفس. أيها الملك، هناك يجلّ البراهمة الرائي غريتسمادا غاية الإجلال؛ وكان البراهمارشي غريتسمادا متألقًا بقوةٍ روحية، ثابتًا على انضباط البراهماتشاريا (العفة والزهد).»

Word by Word

• ऋग्वेदे: in the Rigveda
• ऋग्वेदे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋग्वेद
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• वर्तते: exists / is found / occurs
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृत् (वर्तते)
• Form: Present, 3rd, Singular, Atmanepada

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• अग्र्या: foremost / excellent
• अग्र्या: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अग्र्य
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• श्रुतिः: Vedic revelation / sacred text
• श्रुतिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रुति
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र

• महात्मनः: of the great-souled (sage)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महात्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• King (Yudhishthira)
• Rigveda
• Gṛtsamada
• Brahmanas
• Śruti

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The passage underscores Vedic authority (śruti) and the ethical ideal of honoring realized sages: Brahmanas revere Gṛtsamada because his spiritual radiance is grounded in disciplined brahmacarya and rishi-like conduct.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma, instructing the king, cites a Rigvedic tradition to highlight the greatness of the seer Gṛtsamada and notes the respect he receives among Brahmanas, presenting him as an exemplar of ascetic discipline and spiritual power.