Shloka 4

Brāhmaṇya-प्रश्नः — The Inquiry into Attaining Brāhmaṇya

Mataṅga–Gardabhī Itihāsa

Devanagari script

तपोवनगतं विप्रमभिगम्य महामुनिम्‌ । पप्रच्छाज्िरसं धीर॑ गौतम: संशितव्रत:

Transliteration

tapovanagataṁ vipram abhigamya mahāmunim | papracchāṅgirasaṁ dhīro gautamaḥ saṁśitavrataḥ ||

Translation

এক সময় তপোবনে অবস্থানরত ব্রাহ্মণশ্রেষ্ঠ মহামুনি ধীর অঙ্গিরার নিকট কঠোর ব্রতপালনকারী মহর্ষি গৌতম গিয়ে তাঁকে প্রশ্ন করলেন।

Word by Word

• तपोवनगतं: gone to/being in the penance-grove
• तपोवनगतं: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तपोवनगत
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• विप्रम्: the brahmin
• विप्रम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अभिगम्य: having approached
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-गम्
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund)

• महामुनिम्: the great sage
• महामुनिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: महामुनि
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• पप्रच्छ: asked
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-छ् (पृच्छ्)
• Form: Perfect, 3, Singular

• अङ्गिरसम्: Aṅgiras
• अङ्गिरसम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अङ्गिरस्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• धीरः: steadfast, wise
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धीर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• गौतमः: Gautama
• गौतमः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: गौतम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• संशितव्रतः: of sharpened/strict vows; observing austere vows
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संशितव्रत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Gautama
• Aṅgiras
• Tapovana (forest hermitage/grove of austerities)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse foregrounds the dharmic method of learning: a disciplined seeker (Gautama) approaches a realized ascetic teacher (Aṅgiras) in a setting of tapas and asks questions. Ethical knowledge is presented as something to be sought through humility, restraint, and inquiry.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma introduces a traditional frame-story: the sage Gautama goes to the tapovana where the great sage Aṅgiras is staying and poses a question to him. This functions as the narrative gateway to the instruction that follows in the chapter.