Shloka 14

Atithi-prāpti and the Brāhmaṇa’s Deliberation on Triadic Dharma (अतिथिप्राप्तिः धर्मत्रयविचारश्च)

Devanagari script

एतन्मे संशयं विप्र हृदि शल्यमिवार्पितम्‌ । छिन्धीतिहासकथनात्‌ पर कौतूहलं हि मे

Transliteration

etan me saṁśayaṁ vipra hṛdi śalyam ivārpitam | chindhīti hāsakathanāt para kautūhalaṁ hi me ||

Translation

Janamejaya said: “O Brahmin, this doubt of mine lies lodged in my heart like a thorn. Please cut it away by recounting the ancient account (itihāsa); for I am deeply eager to know the truth of this matter.”

Word by Word

• {'etat': 'this (matter)', 'me': 'my / of me', 'saṁśayam': 'doubt, uncertainty', 'vipra': 'Brahmin

• learned priest/sage', 'hṛdi': 'in the heart', 'śalyam': 'a thorn

• figuratively a painful, nagging doubt', 'iva': 'like, as if', 'ārpitam': 'placed, lodged, implanted', 'chindhi': 'cut (it) off

• resolve', 'itihāsa-kathanāt': 'by narration of itihāsa (traditional historical/epic account)', 'para': 'O excellent one

• O best (vocative sense)', 'kautūhalam': 'curiosity, eager interest', 'hi': 'indeed, surely'}

Speaker

जनमेजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Janamejaya
• vipra (a Brahmin sage/interlocutor)
• itihāsa (traditional epic account)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A sincere seeker should openly state doubt and request clarification; traditional narrative (itihāsa) is presented as a valid means to remove inner confusion and guide one toward dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Janamejaya addresses a learned Brahmin and asks him to resolve a troubling doubt, comparing it to a thorn in the heart, and urges him to explain through an authoritative epic account.