Shloka 9

आत्मदर्शन-उपदेशः (Ātma-darśana Upadeśa) — Mind, Senses, and the All-pervading Self

Devanagari script

श्रीशुक उवाच भूतग्रामस्य कर्तारें कालज्ञाने च निश्चयम्‌ । ब्राह्मणस्य च यत्‌ कृत्यं तद्‌ भवान्‌ वक्तुमहति,श्रीशुकदेवजी बोले--पिताजी! समस्त प्राणि-समुदायको उत्पन्न करनेवाला कौन है? कालके ज्ञानके विषयमें आपका क्‍या निश्चय है? और ब्राह्मणका क्‍या कर्तव्य है? ये सब बातें आप बतानेकी कृपा करें

Transliteration

śrīśuka uvāca | bhūtagrāmasya kartāraṃ kālajñāne ca niścayam | brāhmaṇasya ca yat kṛtyaṃ tad bhavān vaktum arhati ||

Translation

Śrī Shuka sprach: „Vater, wer ist der Schöpfer der ganzen Menge der Lebewesen? Was ist dein gefestigtes Verständnis hinsichtlich der Erkenntnis der Zeit (kāla)? Und was ist wahrhaft die rechte Pflicht eines brāhmaṇa? Sei so gütig und erkläre mir diese Dinge.“

Word by Word

• श्रीशुकः: Śrī-Śuka (the venerable Śuka)
• श्रीशुकः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रीशुक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect (Paroksha-bhuta), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• भूतग्रामस्य: of the multitude of beings
• भूतग्रामस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूतग्राम
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• कर्तारम्: the creator/doer
• कर्तारम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्तृ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• कालज्ञाने: in/with regard to knowledge of time
• कालज्ञाने: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कालज्ञान
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

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

• निश्चयम्: certainty/settled view
• निश्चयम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: निश्चय
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• ब्राह्मणस्य: of a brāhmaṇa
• ब्राह्मणस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

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

• यत्: what/that which
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• कृत्यम्: duty; what is to be done
• कृत्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृत्य
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• भवान्: you (honorific)
• भवान्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: भवत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वक्तुम्: to speak; to tell
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Tumun (infinitive)

• अर्हति: is able/ought; is worthy (to)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्ह्
• Form: Present, Indicative, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

श्रीशुक उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Śrī Śuka (Śukadeva)
• Father (addressed interlocutor)
• Kāla (Time)
• Brāhmaṇa

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames three foundational inquiries for dharma and wisdom: the source of all beings (cosmic causality), the true understanding of Time as a governing principle of change and destiny, and the prescribed conduct of a brāhmaṇa—linking metaphysical insight with ethical obligation.

What is happening in the narrative?

Śuka respectfully questions his father/teacher, requesting instruction on creation, the nature and certainty of knowledge about Time, and the duties appropriate to a brāhmaṇa—setting up a didactic exposition typical of Śānti Parva’s reflective, philosophical discourse.