Shloka 3

Bhaṅgāśvanopākhyāna — On comparative affection in strī–puruṣa union (भङ्गाश्वनोपाख्यानम्)

Devanagari script

पुरा भंगास्वनो नाम राजर्षिरतिधार्मिक: । अपुत्र: पुरुषव्याघ्र पुत्रार्थ यज्ञमाहरत्‌

Transliteration

purā bhaṅgāśvano nāma rājarṣir atidhārmikaḥ | aputraḥ puruṣavyāghra putrārthaṁ yajñam āharat ||

Translation

Bhishma said: “In ancient times there lived a royal sage named Bhangāśva, exceedingly devoted to dharma. O tiger among men, being without a son, he undertook a sacrifice with the aim of obtaining offspring.”

Word by Word

• पुरा: formerly, once
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा

• भङ्गास्वनः: Bhaṅgāsvana (name of a king)
• भङ्गास्वनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भङ्गास्वन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• नाम: by name
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम

• राजर्षिः: royal sage, king-sage
• राजर्षिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजर्षि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अतिधार्मिकः: exceedingly righteous
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अतिधार्मिक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अपुत्रः: sonless
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अपुत्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पुरुषव्याघ्र: O tiger among men
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुषव्याघ्र
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• पुत्रार्थम्: for the sake of a son
• पुत्रार्थम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्रार्थ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• यज्ञम्: a sacrifice
• यज्ञम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• आहरत्: performed, carried out (undertook)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-हृ
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• पुरुषसिंह: O lion among men
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुषसिंह
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Bhaṅgāśva (rājarṣi)
• puruṣavyāghra (addressed hero, likely Yudhiṣṭhira in context)
• yajña (sacrifice)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dharmic means: even a powerful and righteous ruler seeks personal aims (like progeny) through sanctioned, ethical Vedic action (yajña), not through improper or harmful methods.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma begins an illustrative ancient account: the royal sage Bhangāśva, lacking a son, undertakes a sacrifice specifically intended to obtain offspring.