Shloka 21

Brahmacarya-Upāya: Jñāna, Śauca, and the Mind’s Role in Desire (शान्ति पर्व, अध्याय २०७)

Devanagari script

सर्वधर्मविशेषज्ञ: पुण्यकीर्तिमहायशा: । मारीच: कश्यपस्तात सर्वासामभवत्‌ पति:,तात! सम्पूर्ण धर्मोंके विशेषज्ञ, पुण्यकीर्ति, महायशस्वी मरीचिनन्दन कश्यप उन सब कन्याओंके पति हुए

Transliteration

sarvadharmaviśeṣajñaḥ puṇyakīrtimahāyaśāḥ | mārīcaḥ kaśyapas tāta sarvāsām abhavat patiḥ ||

Translation

Dijo Bhīṣma: Kaśyapa—hijo de Marīci—célebre por su dominio de las múltiples distinciones del dharma, y afamado por su santa reputación y gran gloria, llegó a ser el esposo de todas aquellas doncellas.

Word by Word

• सर्वधर्मविशेषज्ञः: knower of the distinctions of all dharmas
• सर्वधर्मविशेषज्ञः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्वधर्मविशेषज्ञ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पुण्यकीर्तिः: of holy/meritorious fame
• पुण्यकीर्तिः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्यकीर्ति
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• महायशाः: greatly renowned
• महायशाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महायशस्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• मारीचः: Marīci
• मारीचः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मारीच
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• कश्यपः: Kaśyapa
• कश्यपः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कश्यप
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तात: dear one / son (vocative address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तात
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• सर्वासाम्: of all (of them)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Feminine, Genitive, Plural

• अभवत्: became / was
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular

• पतिः: husband / lord
• पतिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पति
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तात: dear one (vocative address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तात
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Kaśyapa
• Marīci
• the maidens (kanyāḥ)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse links social legitimacy (marriage/householder role) with ethical authority: a person becomes fit to uphold and organize life’s duties when he is a comprehensive knower of dharma and possesses meritorious, widely acknowledged reputation.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma identifies Kaśyapa, son of Marīci, and states that he became the husband of all the maidens previously mentioned, situating the account within a genealogical/ethical description of how familial and social lines were established.