Shloka 1

Gārhasthya-dharma: Vāsudeva–Pṛthivī-saṃvāda

Householder Duties and Daily Offerings

Devanagari script

(दाक्षिणात्य अधिक पाठका १७५६ श्लोक मिलाकर कुल १९७३ *लोक हैं) शस्जआ तल (2) आअसमनन- सप्तनवतितमो< ध्याय: गृहस्थधर्म

Transliteration

Yudhiṣṭhira uvāca |

Gārhasthyaṁ dharmam akhilaṁ prabrūhi bharatarṣabha |

Ṛddhim āpnoti kiṁ kṛtvā manuṣya iha pārthiva ||

Translation

Yudhiṣṭhira sprach: „O Stier unter den Bharatas, lehre mich vollständig die Dharma des Hausstandes (gārhasthya). Durch welche Taten erlangt ein Mensch hier in dieser Welt Wohlstand, o König?“

Word by Word

• युधिष्ठिरः: Yudhiṣṭhira
• युधिष्ठिरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: युधिष्ठिर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• गार्हस्थ्यम्: householder-ship; the householder stage
• गार्हस्थ्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: गार्हस्थ्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• धर्मम्: duty; dharma
• धर्मम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अखिलम्: entire; complete
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अखिल
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• प्रब्रूहि: tell; explain
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू
• Form: Imperative, Second, Singular, Parasmaipada

• भरतर्षभ: O bull among the Bharatas (best of Bharatas)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भरत-ऋषभ
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• ऋद्धिम्: prosperity; success
• ऋद्धिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋद्धि
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• आप्नोति: attains
• Type: Verb
• Root: आप्
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• किम्: what?
• किम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किम्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• कृत्वा: having done; by doing
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive), Active

• मनुष्यः: a man; a human being
• मनुष्यः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनुष्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• इह: here; in this world
• इह: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह

• पार्थिव: O king; O lord of the earth
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थिव
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

युधिछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Yudhiṣṭhira

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames a dharma-inquiry: Yudhiṣṭhira seeks a complete account of gṛhastha-dharma and asks which concrete actions lead to ṛddhi (prosperity) in this life, implying that prosperity should be pursued through righteous, socially sustaining duties rather than mere self-interest.

What is happening in the narrative?

At the opening of the chapter, Yudhiṣṭhira addresses an honored royal interlocutor (“bharatarṣabha”, “pārthiva”) and initiates a teaching dialogue by requesting instruction on the duties of householders and the deeds that bring worldly well-being.