Shloka 32

Brāhmaṇa-mahattva and Atithi-Dharma

Brahmagītā: Praise of Brāhmaṇas and norms of honor

Devanagari script

देवगन्धर्वसंघातैरप्सरोभिश्षू सर्वतः । नृत्तश्नैवोपगीतश्च पितामह इव प्रभु:

Transliteration

deva-gandharva-saṅghātair apsarobhiś ca sarvataḥ | nṛttaś caivopagītaś ca pitāmaha iva prabhuḥ ||

Translation

Hosts of divine Gandharvas and Apsarases surrounded him on every side, singing and dancing. Amidst them he shone with majesty, like the Grandfather Brahmā himself. Whoever continually listens to and recounts this account of the royal sage Vṛṣadarbha (Uśīnara) becomes a person of merit in this world.

Word by Word

• देवगन्धर्वसंघातैः: by the assemblages of divine Gandharvas
• देवगन्धर्वसंघातैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवगन्धर्वसंघात
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• अप्सरोभिः: by Apsarases
• अप्सरोभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अप्सरस्
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Plural

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

• सर्वतः: on all sides
• सर्वतः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वतः

• नृत्तैः: with dances
• नृत्तैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृत्त
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• एव: indeed/just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• उपगीतः: sung (to)/serenaded
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-गै
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, क्त (past passive participle)

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

• पितामहः: the Grandsire (Brahmā)
• पितामहः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितामह
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• इव: like/as if
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• प्रभुः: the lord/master
• प्रभुः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

श्येन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• श्येन (Śyena)
• देव (Devas)
• गन्धर्व (Gandharvas)
• अप्सरस् (Apsarases)
• पितामह/ब्रह्मा (Pitāmaha/Brahmā)
• राजर्षि वृषदर्भ (Rājarṣi Vṛṣadarbha)
• उशीनर (Uśīnara)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The passage affirms the ethical value of śravaṇa and kīrtana: regularly hearing and narrating a righteous king’s exemplary conduct (here, Vṛṣadarbha/Uśīnara) generates puṇya and cultivates a virtuous disposition.

What is happening in the narrative?

Śyena describes a scene of divine celebration: Gandharvas and Apsarases encircle the honored figure with song and dance, and he appears radiant like Brahmā. The verse then adds a phalaśruti-style statement praising the merit gained by listening to and recounting this episode.