Shloka 30

Dāyavibhāga (Inheritance Apportionment) and Household Precedence — Dialogue of Yudhiṣṭhira and Bhīṣma

Devanagari script

तत्त्वं जिज्ञासमानानां चक्षुर्भवतु नो भवान्‌ | तदेतत्‌ सर्वमाचक्ष्व न हि तृप्पामि कथ्यताम्‌,हम इस विषयमें यथार्थ तत्त्वको जानना चाहते हैं। आप हमारे पथप्रदर्शक होइये। इन सब बातोंको स्पष्टरूपसे बताइये। मैं आपकी बातें सुननेसे तृप्त नहीं हो रहा हूँ। अतः आप इस विषयका प्रतिपादन कीजिये

Transliteration

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca |

tattvaṁ jijñāsamānānāṁ cakṣur bhavatu no bhavān |

tad etat sarvam ācakṣva na hi tṛpyāmi kathyatām ||

Translation

Yudhiṣṭhira said: “We seek to know the true reality of this matter; therefore, be our guiding eye. Explain all of it clearly and in full. I am not satisfied merely by hearing a little—so please expound it.”

Word by Word

• {'yudhiṣṭhira uvāca': 'Yudhiṣṭhira said', 'tattvam': 'truth

• essential reality', 'jijñāsamānānām': 'of those who desire to know

• of inquirers', 'cakṣuḥ': 'eye

• guide (metaphorically, one who enables right seeing)', 'bhavatu': 'let (it) be

• may you become', 'naḥ': 'for us

• our', 'bhavān': 'you (honorific)', 'tad etat': 'that very (matter) here

• this precise point', 'sarvam': 'all

• entirely', 'ācakṣva': 'tell

• declare (imperative)', 'na hi': 'indeed not

• for I do not', 'tṛpyāmi': 'I am satisfied

• I am sated', 'kathyatām': 'let it be told

Speaker

युधिछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Yudhiṣṭhira

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse models dharma-centered inquiry: the seeker admits incomplete understanding, requests a qualified guide, and asks for a complete, clear exposition of the underlying tattva (essential truth), showing that ethical clarity requires patient, thorough instruction.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Anuśāsana-parvan’s instructional setting, Yudhiṣṭhira addresses the elder teacher-figure (contextually Bhīṣma) and urges him to serve as their ‘eye’—a guide—requesting a fuller explanation because he remains unsatisfied with partial hearing.