Shloka 1

Gārhasthya-dharma: Vāsudeva–Pṛthivī-saṃvāda

Householder Duties and Daily Offerings

Devanagari script

(दाक्षिणात्य अधिक पाठका १७५६ श्लोक मिलाकर कुल १९७३ *लोक हैं) शस्जआ तल (2) आअसमनन- सप्तनवतितमो< ध्याय: गृहस्थधर्म

Transliteration

Yudhiṣṭhira uvāca |

Gārhasthyaṁ dharmam akhilaṁ prabrūhi bharatarṣabha |

Ṛddhim āpnoti kiṁ kṛtvā manuṣya iha pārthiva ||

Translation

Yudhiṣṭhira dijo: «Oh toro entre los Bharatas, enséñame por completo el dharma de la vida del cabeza de familia (gārhasthya). ¿Qué actos debe realizar una persona para alcanzar prosperidad aquí, en este mundo, oh rey?»

Word by Word

• युधिष्ठिरः: Yudhiṣṭhira
• युधिष्ठिरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: युधिष्ठिर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• गार्हस्थ्यम्: householder-ship; the householder stage
• गार्हस्थ्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: गार्हस्थ्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• धर्मम्: duty; dharma
• धर्मम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अखिलम्: entire; complete
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अखिल
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• प्रब्रूहि: tell; explain
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू
• Form: Imperative, Second, Singular, Parasmaipada

• भरतर्षभ: O bull among the Bharatas (best of Bharatas)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भरत-ऋषभ
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• ऋद्धिम्: prosperity; success
• ऋद्धिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋद्धि
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• आप्नोति: attains
• Type: Verb
• Root: आप्
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• किम्: what?
• किम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किम्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• कृत्वा: having done; by doing
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive), Active

• मनुष्यः: a man; a human being
• मनुष्यः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनुष्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• इह: here; in this world
• इह: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह

• पार्थिव: O king; O lord of the earth
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थिव
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

युधिछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Yudhiṣṭhira

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames a dharma-inquiry: Yudhiṣṭhira seeks a complete account of gṛhastha-dharma and asks which concrete actions lead to ṛddhi (prosperity) in this life, implying that prosperity should be pursued through righteous, socially sustaining duties rather than mere self-interest.

What is happening in the narrative?

At the opening of the chapter, Yudhiṣṭhira addresses an honored royal interlocutor (“bharatarṣabha”, “pārthiva”) and initiates a teaching dialogue by requesting instruction on the duties of householders and the deeds that bring worldly well-being.