Shloka 2

Devanagari script

कां वा ब्राह्मणपूजायां व्युष्टिं दृष्टवा महाव्रत । तानर्चसि महाबाहो सर्वमेतद्‌ वदस्व मे

Transliteration

kāṁ vā brāhmaṇapūjāyāṁ vyuṣṭiṁ dṛṣṭvā mahāvrata | tān arcasi mahābāho sarvam etad vadasva me ||

Translation

Yudhiṣṭhira said: “O great observer of vows, O mighty-armed one—having fixed your gaze on what future reward arising from the worship of brāhmaṇas, did you honor them? Tell me all of this.”

Word by Word

• कां: what (which) (fruit/result)
• कां: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किम्
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• वा: or
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा

• ब्राह्मणपूजायाम्: in the worship of Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणपूजायाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मणपूजा
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Singular

• व्युष्टिम्: reward/fruit (result)
• व्युष्टिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्युष्टि
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen (keeping in view)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund)

• महाव्रत: O (one of) great vow
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाव्रत
• Form: Neuter, Vocative, Singular

• तान्: them (those Brahmins)
• तान्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• अर्चसि: you worship
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्च्
• Form: Present (Lat), Second, Singular, Parasmaipada

• महाबाहो: O mighty-armed one
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाबाहु
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• सर्वम्: all (this)
• सर्वम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• वदस्व: tell (speak)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद्
• Form: Imperative (Lot), Second, Singular, Parasmaipada

• मे: to me
• मे: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Dative, Singular

Speaker

युधिछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Yudhiṣṭhira
• brāhmaṇas

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames ethical action as intentional: honoring brāhmaṇas is linked to anticipated moral/spiritual fruition (phala). It invites reflection on motive—what outcome one keeps in view when performing acts of reverence and charity.

What is happening in the narrative?

Yudhiṣṭhira questions a revered, vow-observing figure (addressed as mahāvrata, mahābāhu) about the reason and expected reward behind his practice of worshiping/honoring brāhmaṇas, asking for a full explanation.