Shloka 1

Devanagari script

ऑपनआ कराता बछ। अर: चतुस्त्रिंशो 5 ध्याय: जिन कर्मोके करने और न करनेसे कर्ता प्रायश्षित्तका भागी होता और नहीं होता--उनका विवेचन युधिषछ्िर उवाच कानि कृत्वेह कर्माणि प्रायश्षित्तीयते नर: । कि कृत्वा मुच्यते तत्र तन्मे ब्रूहि पितामह

Transliteration

Yudhiṣṭhira uvāca | kāni kṛtveha karmāṇi prāyaścittīyate naraḥ | kiṃ kṛtvā mucyate tatra tan me brūhi pitāmaha ||

Translation

Yudhiṣṭhira said: “O Grandsire, what kinds of actions done in this world make a person liable to expiation? And by doing what does one become freed from that burden? Please tell me.”

Word by Word

युधिष्ठिरःYudhiṣṭhira

उवाचsaid

कानिwhich (things/deeds)

कृत्वाhaving done

इहhere (in this world)

कर्माणिdeeds, actions

प्रायश्चित्तीयतेrequires expiation / is expiated

नरःa man

किम्what (deed)

कृत्वाhaving done

मुच्यतेis released, is freed

तत्रtherein, in that matter

तत्that (answer/point)

मेto me

ब्रूहिtell (me)

पितामहO grandsire

Speaker

युधिषछ्िर उवाच

Characters & Entities

Yudhiṣṭhira

Bhīṣma (Pitāmaha)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames an ethical inquiry central to dharma: which deeds incur moral fault requiring prāyaścitta (expiation), and what conduct or discipline leads to release from that fault. It sets up Bhīṣma’s instruction on responsibility, wrongdoing, and purification.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s instructional setting, Yudhiṣṭhira approaches Bhīṣma as a revered authority and asks for guidance about expiation—what actions make one liable to atonement and how one becomes freed—initiating a discussion on moral and ritual-ethical remedies.