Shloka 11

Puruṣaikatva-vyākhyāna: The One Virāṭ Puruṣa and the Many ‘Puruṣas’

Rudra–Brahmā Saṃvāda

Devanagari script

स तान्‌ कृताञ्जलि र्भूत्वा परिपप्रच्छ वै वसु:

Transliteration

sa tān kṛtāñjalir bhūtvā paripapraccha vai vasuḥ

Translation

Then Vasu, joining his palms in reverence, respectfully questioned them further—approaching the elders with humility as he sought clarity on the right course and its deeper meaning.

Word by Word

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

• तान्: them
• तान्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• कृताञ्जलिः: with hands joined (in reverence)
• कृताञ्जलिः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृताञ्जलि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• भूत्वा: having become
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund)

• परिपप्रच्छ: asked (respectfully), inquired
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रच्छ्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Singular

• वै: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै

• वसुः: Vasu (proper name)
• वसुः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vasu

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical posture of learning: one should approach teachers or elders with humility (kṛtāñjali) and inquire carefully (paripapraccha). Right knowledge and right conduct are presented as arising from respectful, disciplined questioning rather than arrogance.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Bhishma’s narration, Vasu adopts a reverential stance—joining his palms—and then proceeds to question the persons before him in detail, indicating a transition into a deeper or more specific inquiry within the ongoing instruction.