Shloka 1

Mahāvasu’s Fall by Speech-Error and Release through Devotion (अज-विवादः वसोः शापः विमोचनं च)

Devanagari script

भीकम (2 अमान चतुर्विशत्यधिकत्रिशततमो< ध्याय: शुकदेवजीकी उत्पत्ति और उनके यज्ञोपवीत

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca | sa labdhvā paramaṁ devād varaṁ satyavatī-sutaḥ | araṇī-sahite gṛhā mamāntha agni-cikīrṣayā ||

Translation

Bhishma said: “O King, having obtained an excellent boon from the great god Mahadeva, Vyasa, Satyavati’s son, wishing to bring forth fire, took the two fire-sticks (arani) and began churning them to kindle the sacred flame.”

Word by Word

• भीष्मः: Bhishma
• भीष्मः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीष्म
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect (Paroksha-bhuta), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• लब्ध्वा: having obtained
• Type: Verb
• Root: लभ्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), active

• परम्: supreme, excellent
• परम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• देवात्: from the god (Deva)
• देवात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव
• Form: Masculine, Ablative, Singular

• वरम्: boon
• वरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• सत्यवतीसुतः: son of Satyavati (Vyasa)
• सत्यवतीसुतः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्यवती-सुत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अरणी: two fire-sticks (arani)
• अरणी: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अरणि
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Dual

• सहिते: together, accompanied (as a pair)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सहित
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Dual

• गृहात्: from (his) house
• गृहात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृह
• Form: Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• ममन्थ: churned, rubbed (to produce fire)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मन्थ्
• Form: Perfect (Paroksha-bhuta), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• अग्नि: fire
• अग्नि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• चिकीर्षया: with the desire to do/produce (i.e., to kindle)
• चिकीर्षया: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: चिकीर्षा
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• King (Yudhishthira, implied addressee)
• Mahadeva (Shiva)
• Satyavati
• Vyasa (Satyavati’s son)
• Agni (fire, as the sacred flame)
• Araṇī (fire-sticks)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse foregrounds the sanctity of Vedic discipline: sacred knowledge and spiritual aims are pursued through proper means—here symbolized by kindling the ritual fire with arani—after receiving divine grace. It links divine favor (boon from Mahadeva) with responsible ritual action.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma begins recounting an episode about Vyasa. After receiving an excellent boon from Mahadeva, Vyasa takes the pair of arani sticks and churns them to produce fire, setting the stage for the ensuing account (in this chapter’s framing) connected with Shukadeva’s origin and related rites.