Shloka 23

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

Devanagari script

बृहस्पतिं च वत्रे स वेदवेदाड्रभाष्यवित्‌

Transliteration

bṛhaspatiṃ ca vatre sa vedavedāḍrabhāṣyavit

Translation

Bhīṣma said: “He also addressed Bṛhaspati—one who was learned in the Vedas and skilled in interpreting their profound meanings.”

Word by Word

• बृहस्पतिम्: Bṛhaspati
• बृहस्पतिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: बृहस्पति
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

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

• वक्त्रे: in (his) speaker/mouth; in the orator
• वक्त्रे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वक्तृ
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

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

• वेद: the Veda
• वेद: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• वेदाङ्ग: the Vedāṅgas (auxiliary sciences of the Veda)
• वेदाङ्ग: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेदाङ्ग
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अर्थ: meaning/sense
• अर्थ: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• भाष्य: commentary/exegesis
• भाष्य: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भाष्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• वित्: knower
• वित्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Bṛhaspati
• Veda

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical importance of grounding counsel and conduct in śāstra: true authority comes from knowing the Vedas and being able to interpret their intended meaning, not merely reciting them.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma, in his discourse on dharma, refers to a figure who addresses Bṛhaspati, presenting him as a paradigmatic authority on Vedic wisdom and its correct interpretation.