Mahabharata — Shanti Parva, Shloka 26

नारद–शुक संवादः

Impermanence, Svabhāva, and Śuka’s Resolve for Yoga

Devanagari script

किमत्र ब्रह्माण्यमृतं कि च वेद्यमनुत्तमम्‌ । चिन्तयंस्तत्र चागत्य गन्धर्वो मामपृच्छत

Transliteration

kim atra brahmāṇy amṛtaṃ ki ca vedyam anuttamam | cintayaṃs tatra cāgatya gandharvo mām apṛcchata ||

Translation

Yājñavalkya dijo: «En este asunto, ¿qué es el Brahman, inmortal e imperecedero? ¿Y cuál es el objeto de conocimiento insuperable?» Mientras reflexionaba sobre ello, un Gandharva llegó allí y me interrogó.

Word by Word

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किम्
• Form: neuter, nominative/accusative, singular

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र

• ब्रह्माणि: Vedic formulas / sacred utterances
• ब्रह्माणि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन्
• Form: neuter, nominative/accusative, plural

• अमृतम्: nectar; immortality
• अमृतम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमृत
• Form: neuter, nominative/accusative, singular

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किम्
• Form: neuter, nominative/accusative, singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• वेद्यम्: to be known; knowable
• वेद्यम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वेद्य
• Form: neuter, nominative/accusative, singular

• अनुत्तमम्: unsurpassed; supreme
• अनुत्तमम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनुत्तम
• Form: neuter, nominative/accusative, singular

• चिन्तयन्: thinking; pondering
• चिन्तयन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: चिन्त्
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), masculine, nominative, singular

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• आगत्य: having come
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-गम्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund)

• गन्धर्वः: a Gandharva
• गन्धर्वः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्धर्व
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: accusative, singular

• अपृच्छत्: asked
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रच्छ्
• Form: लङ् (imperfect), परस्मैपद, third, singular

Speaker

याज़्ञवल्क्य उवाच

Characters & Entities

• याज्ञवल्क्य (Yājñavalkya)
• गन्धर्व (Gandharva)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames the central Upaniṣadic-style inquiry: identifying the deathless reality (Brahman) and the highest object of knowledge. It emphasizes reflective questioning as the doorway to liberation-oriented wisdom.

What is happening in the narrative?

Yājñavalkya reports that a Gandharva, contemplating profound questions about the immortal Brahman and the supreme knowable, approaches and questions him—setting up a dialogue on ultimate knowledge.