Mahabharata (Gita Press) 1.13.2 - Adi Parva, Adhyaya 13, Shloka 2

आस्तीक-उपाख्यान-प्रस्तावः | Introduction to the Āstīka Narrative

Devanagari script

निखिलेन यथातत्त्वं सौते सर्वमशेषत: । आस्तीकक्ष द्विजश्रेष्ठ: किमर्थ जपतां वर:

Transliteration

nikhilena yathātattvaṃ saute sarvamaśeṣataḥ | āstīkakṣa dvijaśreṣṭhaḥ kimarthaṃ japatāṃ varaḥ ||

Translation

Śaunaka sprach: „O Sauti, berichte uns vollständig—der Wahrheit gemäß, ohne irgendetwas auszulassen—warum Āstīka, der Vorzüglichste unter den Brahmanen, der Beste unter den der heiligen Rezitation Ergebenen, bekannt wurde und Lob empfing.“

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Word by Word

• निखिलेन: completely, wholly
• निखिलेन: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निखिल
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• यथा: as, according to
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

• तत्त्वम्: the truth, the real state
• तत्त्वम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत्त्व
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• सौते: O Sūta (charioteer-bard)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूत
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• सर्वम्: everything
• सर्वम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अशेषतः: without remainder, entirely
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अशेषतः

• आस्तीकः: Āstīka (proper name)
• आस्तीकः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: आस्तीक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• द्विजश्रेष्ठः: the best of the twice-born (Brahmins)
• द्विजश्रेष्ठः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज-श्रेष्ठ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• किमर्थम्: for what purpose? why?
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किमर्थम्

• जपताम्: of those who are reciting/muttering (prayers)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जप्
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ), Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• वरः: the excellent one, the best
• वरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

शौनक उवाच

Characters & Entities

• शौनक (Śaunaka)
• सौति / उग्रश्रवस् (Sauti / Ugraśravas)
• आस्तीक (Āstīka)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse models a disciplined approach to sacred history: seek a complete account (nikhilena, aśeṣataḥ) and insist on truth as it is (yathātattvam). It also highlights esteem for Vedic recitation and Brahminical excellence, implying that spiritual authority should be grounded in learning, restraint, and truthful narration.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Naimiṣāraṇya setting, Śaunaka questions Sauti and requests a full, accurate explanation about Āstīka—why he is regarded as the foremost among Brahmins and among those devoted to mantra-recitation—thereby prompting the continuation of Āstīka’s account within the larger frame-story.