Shloka 4

Brahmāstra-prayogaḥ: Daśagrīvasya Māyā-vadhaḥ

Rāma–Rāvaṇa Encounter under Illusion

Devanagari script

युधिषछ्िर उवाच भगवन्‌ देवर्षीणां त्वं ख्यातो भूतभविष्यवित्‌ । संशयं परिपृच्छामि छिन्धि मे हृदि संस्थितम्‌,युधिष्ठिर बोले--भगवन्‌! आप भूत, भविष्य और वर्तमान--तीनों कालोंके ज्ञाता हैं। देवर्षियोंमें भी आपका नाम विख्यात है। अतः आपसे मैं अपने हृदयका एक संदेह पूछता हूँ, उसका निवारण कीजिये

Transliteration

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca | bhagavan devarṣīṇāṁ tvaṁ khyāto bhūta-bhaviṣya-vit | saṁśayaṁ paripṛcchāmi chindhi me hṛdi saṁsthitam ||

Translation

Yudhiṣṭhira sprach: „Ehrwürdiger, du bist unter den göttlichen Sehern berühmt als Kenner dessen, was gewesen ist, und dessen, was noch kommen wird. Darum frage ich dich nach einem Zweifel, der in meinem Herzen sitzt — schneide ihn fort und löse ihn.“

Word by Word

• {'yudhiṣṭhira uvāca': 'Yudhiṣṭhira said', 'bhagavan': 'Blessed one

• venerable lord (a respectful address to a sage)', 'devarṣīṇām': 'of the divine seers (deva + ṛṣi)', 'tvam': 'you', 'khyātaḥ': 'renowned

• well-known', 'bhūta': 'the past

• what has been', 'bhaviṣya': 'the future

• what will be', 'vit': 'knower

• one who knows', 'saṁśayam': 'doubt

• uncertainty', 'paripṛcchāmi': 'I ask fully

• I inquire', 'chindhi': 'cut (it) off

• dispel', 'me': 'my

• for me', 'hṛdi': 'in the heart', 'saṁsthitam': 'situated

Speaker

युधिषछ्िर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Devarṣis (divine seers)
• Bhagavān (addressed sage)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the dharmic method of resolving moral and spiritual uncertainty: approach a trustworthy, wise authority with humility, articulate the doubt clearly, and seek decisive clarification that removes inner confusion.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the forest setting of the Vana Parva, Yudhiṣṭhira addresses a revered sage known among divine seers for extraordinary knowledge and asks him to dispel a doubt that troubles his heart, setting up a forthcoming instruction or counsel.