Shloka 4

Śukasya Janma-yoga-phalaṁ — Vyāsasya Tapasā Putrārthaḥ (Śānti-parva 310)

Devanagari script

याज्ञवल्क्यमृषिश्रेष्ठ॑ दैवरातिर्महायशा: । पप्रच्छ जनको राजा प्रश्न॑ प्रश्नविदां वरम्‌,एक बार देवरातके महायशस्वी पुत्र राजा जनकने प्रश्नबका रहस्य समझनेवालोंमें श्रेष्ठ मुनिवर याज्ञवल्क्यजीसे पूछा

Transliteration

Yājñavalkyam ṛṣiśreṣṭhaṁ Daivarātir mahāyaśāḥ | papraccha Janako rājā praśnaṁ praśnavidāṁ varam ||

Translation

Bhīṣma sprach: Der ruhmreiche König Janaka, Sohn Devarātas, befragte den erhabensten der Weisen, Yājñavalkya—den Besten unter denen, die den Sinn von Fragen verstehen—um eine feine, verborgene Wahrheit zu erfassen.

Word by Word

याज्ञवल्क्यम्Yajnavalkya (as the one addressed/asked)

ऋषिश्रेष्ठम्best of sages

दैवरातिःDaivarati (Janaka)

महायशाःof great fame

पप्रच्छasked

जनकःJanaka

राजाthe king

प्रश्नम्a question

प्रश्नविदाम्of the knowers of questions (i.e., of those skilled in inquiry)

वरम्the best (one)

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

Yājñavalkya

Janaka

Devarāta (implied via Daivarāti)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the dharmic method of learning: a responsible ruler seeks higher ethical and spiritual understanding by approaching a foremost sage and asking well-formed questions. It implies humility, discernment, and the value of guided inquiry in matters of truth and conduct.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma introduces a traditional teaching episode: King Janaka (called Daivarāti) approaches the sage Yājñavalkya and poses an important question, setting up a discourse where royal duty and spiritual insight are explored through dialogue.