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Shloka 1

Devanagari script

ऑपन-माज बक। -ज:डिेि पज्चषष्ट्याधिेकात्रेशततमो< ध्याय: नागराजसे विदा ले ब्राह्मणका 0 38 निसे उज्छवृत्तिकी दीक्षा लेकर साधनपरायण होना और इस कथाकी परम्पराका वर्णन भीष्म उवाच सचामन्त्र्योरगश्रेष्ठ ब्राह्मण: कृतनिश्चय: । दीक्षाकाडुक्षी तदा राजंश्ष्यवनं भार्गव श्रित:,भीष्मजी कहते हैं--युधिष्ठिर! इस प्रकार नागराजकी अनुमति लेकर वह दृढ़ निश्चयवाला ब्राह्मण उज्छव्रतकी दीक्षा लेनेके लिये भृूगुवंशी च्यवन ऋषिके पास गया

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca | saṃmantryoragaśreṣṭhaḥ brāhmaṇaḥ kṛtaniścayaḥ | dīkṣām ucchvṛttikīṃ tadā rājann cyavanaṃ bhārgavaṃ śritaḥ ||

Translation

Bhīṣma dijo: «Oh rey (Yudhiṣṭhira), tras consultar y obtener el asentimiento del más excelso entre las serpientes, aquel brāhmaṇa —firme en su resolución— buscó entonces a Cyavana, del linaje Bhārgava, para recibir la iniciación (dīkṣā) en la austera disciplina de vivir recogiendo los restos sobrantes (ucchvṛttikā/uñchavṛtti)».

Word by Word

भीष्मःBhishma

उवाचsaid

सःhe

आमन्त्र्यhaving requested/obtained leave from

उरगश्रेष्ठम्the best of serpents (serpent-king)

ब्राह्मणःthe Brahmin

कृतनिश्चयःof firm resolve

दीक्षाकाङ्क्षीdesiring initiation (dīkṣā)

तदाthen

राजन्O king

च्यवनम्Chyavana

भार्गवम्of the Bhṛgu lineage

श्रितःhaving resorted to / having gone to

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhishma (Bhīṣma)

Yudhishthira (implied by 'rājan')

Nāgarāja / chief of serpents (uragaśreṣṭha)

Brahmin (brāhmaṇaḥ)

Cyavana (Cyavana)

Bhṛgu lineage (Bhārgava)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dharmic resolve and disciplined livelihood: a seeker should adopt a rigorous, non-exploitative mode of living (ucchvṛttikā—subsisting on what comes without demand) and approach a qualified sage for proper initiation, showing humility, restraint, and commitment to ethical practice.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma narrates that, after obtaining the consent of the serpent-king, a determined Brahmin goes to the sage Cyavana (of the Bhṛgu line) to receive initiation into the vow/discipline of ucchvṛttikā, indicating the start of a formal ascetic undertaking under authoritative guidance.