Shloka 97

अनुक्रमणिकाध्यायः (Anukramaṇikā Adhyāya) — Invocation, Narrator Frame, and Textual Scope

Devanagari script

अब्रवीद्‌ भारतं॑ लोके मानुषे5स्मिन्‌ महानृषि: । जनमेजयेन पृष्ट: सन्‌ ब्राह्मणैश्व सहस्रश:

Transliteration

abravīd bhārataṁ loke mānuṣe 'smin mahānṛṣiḥ | janamejayena pṛṣṭaḥ san brāhmaṇaiś ca sahasraśaḥ ||

Translation

The great sage proclaimed the Bhārata in this human world—having been questioned by King Janamejaya, and also repeatedly by thousands of brāhmaṇas. The epic is thus presented as a sacred teaching delivered in response to earnest inquiry, meant for the moral and spiritual guidance of society.

Word by Word

• अब्रवीत्: said/spoke
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (वचने)
• Form: लङ् (imperfect), परस्मैपदम्, 3, singular

• भारतं: the Bhārata (epic)
• भारतं: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भारत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• लोके: in the world
• लोके: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: masculine, locative, singular

• मानुषे: among humans / in the human (world)
• मानुषे: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मानुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: masculine, locative, singular

• अस्मिन्: in this
• अस्मिन्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: masculine, locative, singular

• महानृषिः: the great sage
• महानृषिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महानृषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• जनमेजयेन: by Janamejaya
• जनमेजयेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: जनमेजय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: masculine, instrumental, singular

• पृष्टः: having been asked
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रच्छ् (प्रश्ने) → पृच्छ्; क्त-प्रत्यय (पृष्ट)
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular, क्त (past passive participle)

• सन्: being
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (भुवि) → सत् (शतृ/वर्तमान कृदन्त)
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular, शतृ (present active participle)

• ब्राह्मणैः: by the Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: masculine, instrumental, plural

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

• सहस्रशः: by thousands / in thousands
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सहस्रशस् (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)

Characters & Entities

• Bhārata (Mahābhārata)
• Janamejaya
• Mahānṛṣi (the great sage-narrator)
• Brāhmaṇas

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Sacred knowledge is transmitted through respectful questioning and authoritative narration: the Bhārata is presented as a dharma-guiding text spoken by a great sage in response to sincere inquiry from a king and learned brāhmaṇas.

What is happening in the narrative?

The verse situates the Mahābhārata’s telling: a great sage narrates the Bhārata in the human world after being questioned by King Janamejaya, with many brāhmaṇas also seeking the account.