Shloka 10

Deva–Asura–Gandharva–Nāga Vaṃśa-kathana

Genealogies and Partial Descents

Devanagari script

शृणु सर्वमशेषेण कथ्यमानं मया द्विज । शंसितुं तन्महान्‌ हर्षो ममापीह प्रवर्तते,विप्रवर! मेरे द्वारा कही जानेवाली इस सम्पूर्ण महाभारत-कथाको आप पूर्णरूपसे सुनिये। यह कथा सुनाते समय मुझे भी महान्‌ हर्ष प्राप्त होता है

Transliteration

śṛṇu sarvam aśeṣeṇa kathyamānaṃ mayā dvija | śaṃsituṃ tanmahān harṣo mamāpīha pravartate ||

Translation

Listen, O twice-born sage, to this entire account as I relate it without omission. As I set forth this great Mahābhārata narrative, a profound joy arises in me here as well, for the telling of it is itself a sacred delight.

Word by Word

• {'śṛṇu': 'listen (imperative, 2nd person singular)', 'sarvam': 'everything

• the whole (accusative singular)', 'aśeṣeṇa': 'without remainder

• in full', 'kathyamānam': 'being narrated

• being told (present passive participle)', 'mayā': 'by me (instrumental singular)', 'dvija': 'twice-born

• Brahmin/learned man (vocative)', 'śaṃsitum': 'to recount

• to narrate (infinitive)', 'tat': 'that (referring to the narrative/itihāsa)', 'mahān': 'great', 'harṣaḥ': 'joy

• gladness', 'mama': 'of me

• my', 'api': 'also

• even', 'iha': 'here

• in this context', 'pravartate': 'arises

Speaker

शौनक उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Śaunaka
• dvija (addressed Brahmin/learned listener)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse emphasizes śravaṇa (attentive listening) and faithful transmission: the Mahābhārata should be heard in full, without omissions, and the act of narrating dharmic history is itself a source of inner joy and merit.

What is happening in the narrative?

Śaunaka addresses a learned listener (dvija), inviting him to hear the complete Mahābhārata as Śaunaka narrates it, and he notes that he himself feels great happiness while recounting the story.