Shloka 59

ब्राह्मणपूजा-राजधर्मः | Royal Duty of Honoring Learned Brahmins

Devanagari script

ऋग्गवेदे वर्तते चाग्रया श्रुतिर्यस्थ महात्मन:

Transliteration

ṛgvede vartate cāgrayā śrutir yatra mahātmanaḥ |

Translation

Bhishma said: “In the Rigveda there is found an eminent and foremost sacred tradition (śruti) connected with that great-souled sage. O King, there the Brahmanas hold the seer Gṛtsamada in high honor; the brahmarṣi Gṛtsamada was radiant in spiritual power and steadfast in the discipline of brahmacarya.”

Word by Word

• ऋग्वेदे: in the Rigveda
• ऋग्वेदे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋग्वेद
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• वर्तते: exists / is found / occurs
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृत् (वर्तते)
• Form: Present, 3rd, Singular, Atmanepada

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

• अग्र्या: foremost / excellent
• अग्र्या: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अग्र्य
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• श्रुतिः: Vedic revelation / sacred text
• श्रुतिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रुति
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र

• महात्मनः: of the great-souled (sage)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महात्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• King (Yudhishthira)
• Rigveda
• Gṛtsamada
• Brahmanas
• Śruti

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The passage underscores Vedic authority (śruti) and the ethical ideal of honoring realized sages: Brahmanas revere Gṛtsamada because his spiritual radiance is grounded in disciplined brahmacarya and rishi-like conduct.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma, instructing the king, cites a Rigvedic tradition to highlight the greatness of the seer Gṛtsamada and notes the respect he receives among Brahmanas, presenting him as an exemplar of ascetic discipline and spiritual power.