Shloka 1

Kṛṣṇa’s Dhyāna and the Prompt to Question Bhīṣma (कृष्णध्यानं भीष्मप्रश्नप्रेरणा च)

Devanagari script

/ भीकम (2 अमान षट्चत्वारिशो5 ध्याय: युधिष्ठिर और श्रीकृष्णका संवाद

Transliteration

Yudhiṣṭhira uvāca: kim idaṁ paramāścaryaṁ dhyāyasy amita-vikrama? kaccil loka-trayasyāsya svasti loka-parāyaṇa?

Translation

Dijo Yudhiṣṭhira: «¿Qué es esto tan asombroso—que estés absorto en contemplación, oh de poder inconmensurable? Oh refugio de los mundos, ¿está todo bien en este triple universo?»

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

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

• इदम्: this
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• परम्: great, extreme
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• आश्चर्यम्: wonder, surprise
• आश्चर्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: आश्चर्य
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• ध्यायसि: you meditate/think
• Type: Verb
• Root: ध्यै
• Form: Present, Second, Singular

• अमितविक्रम: O one of immeasurable prowess
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमितविक्रम
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• कच्चित्: surely? I hope (that)...
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कच्चित्

• लोकत्रयस्य: of the three worlds
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोकत्रय
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• अस्य: of this
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• स्वस्ति: well-being, welfare
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वस्ति

• लोकपरायण: O refuge/support of the worlds
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोकपरायण
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

युधिछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Śrī Kṛṣṇa
• loka-traya (the three worlds)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A righteous ruler’s first impulse is concern for universal welfare (svasti) and the stability of cosmic order; Yudhiṣṭhira reads Kṛṣṇa’s inward absorption as significant and immediately asks whether the three worlds are safe, reflecting dharmic vigilance and responsibility.

What is happening in the narrative?

At the opening of this chapter in Śānti Parva, Yudhiṣṭhira notices Kṛṣṇa in deep contemplation and, struck by wonder, questions him—addressing him with epithets of supreme power and refuge—asking what he is meditating on and whether all is well in the three worlds.