Shloka 2

Viṣṇor Māhātmya and Indriya-saṃyama (विष्णोर्माहात्म्यं तथा इन्द्रियसंयमः)

Devanagari script

भीष्म उवाच अत्र ते वर्तयिष्यामि नारदेनानुकीर्तितम्‌ । उज्छवृत्ते: पुरावृत्तं यज्ञार्थे ब्राह्मणस्य च,भीष्मजीने कहा--युधिष्छिर! पूर्वकालमें उज्छवृत्तिसे जीवन-निर्वाह करनेवाले एक ब्राह्मणका यज्ञके सम्बन्धमें जैसा वृत्तान्त है और जिसे नारदजीने मुझसे कहा था, वही प्राचीन इतिहास मैं यहाँ तुम्हें बता रहा हूँ

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca | atra te vartayiṣyāmi nāradenānukīrtitam | ucchavṛtteḥ purāvṛttaṃ yajñārthe brāhmaṇasya ca ||

Translation

Bhīṣma sprach: „Hier will ich dir eine alte Begebenheit berichten, wie Nārada sie mir überlieferte: von einem Brahmanen, der nach der strengen Lebensweise namens ucchavṛtti lebte, und von einem Opfer (yajña) und seinen sittlichen Folgen. Diese alte Geschichte will ich dir nun erzählen.“

Word by Word

• {'atra': 'here, in this context', 'te': 'to you', 'vartayiṣyāmi': 'I shall relate, I shall narrate', 'nāradeṇa': 'by Narada (instrumental)', 'anukīrtitam': 'recounted, narrated, celebrated as told', 'ucchavṛtteḥ': 'of one living by ucchavṛtti

• subsisting on gleanings/leftovers (a very austere livelihood)', 'purāvṛttam': 'an ancient occurrence

• old episode/tradition', 'yajñārthe': 'for the purpose of a sacrifice

• in connection with yajña', 'brāhmaṇasya': 'of a Brahmin', 'ca': 'and'}

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Nārada
• a Brahmin (brāhmaṇa)
• Yudhiṣṭhira (implied by address in the prose gloss)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames an ethical exemplum: Bhishma introduces an ancient story (told by Narada) about a Brahmin who lives by extreme simplicity (ucchavṛtti) and faces a situation connected with yajña, implying that dharma in ritual contexts must be examined through conduct, restraint, and right means of livelihood.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma begins a new illustrative tale for Yudhiṣṭhira: he announces that he will narrate an old account, transmitted by Narada, about a Brahmin who survives on gleaned remnants and about events arising in relation to a sacrifice.