Shloka 70
यच्चापि सर्वगं वस्तु तच्चैव प्रतिपादितम् । परं न लेखक: कश्चिदेतस्य भुवि विद्यते,दिव्य नगर एवं दुर्गोके निर्माणका कौशल तथा युद्धकी निपुणताका भी वर्णन है। भिन्न- भिन्न भाषाओं और जातियोंकी जो विशेषताएँ हैं, लोकव्यवहारकी सिद्धिके लिये जो कुछ आवश्यक है तथा और भी जितने लोकोपयोगी पदार्थ हो सकते हैं, उन सबका इसमें प्रतिपादन किया गया है; परंतु मुझे इस बातकी चिन्ता है कि पृथ्वीमें इस ग्रन्थको लिख सके ऐसा कोई नहीं है”
yaccāpi sarvagaṁ vastu taccaiva pratipāditam | paraṁ na lekhakaḥ kaścid etasya bhuvi vidyate |
Moreover, whatever exists everywhere in the world has been set forth in this work as well. Yet I am troubled by this: on earth there is no scribe capable of writing it down—so vast and comprehensive is this composition.
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the Mahabharata’s claim to comprehensive knowledge—addressing all-pervading realities and practical human concerns—while also highlighting the ethical responsibility of preserving such knowledge accurately through a capable transmitter (scribe).
In the framing account of the epic’s composition, the speaker emphasizes that the work contains everything of universal relevance, but expresses concern that no ordinary person on earth is competent to write it down, setting up the need for an extraordinary scribe.