Shloka 6

Dāna-Śreṣṭhatā: On the Superiority of Giving

Maitreya–Vyāsa Exemplum

Devanagari script

अतन्र ते वर्तयिष्यामि पुरावृत्तमिदं नूप । द्वैधायनस्य संवादं कीटस्य च युधिष्ठिर

Transliteration

atantra te vartayiṣyāmi purāvṛttam idaṃ nṛpa | dvaidhāyanasya saṃvādaṃ kīṭasya ca yudhiṣṭhira ||

Translation

Bhīṣma dit : «Ô roi, ô Yudhiṣṭhira, je te rapporterai sans hésiter ce récit ancien, bien connu : le dialogue entre Dvaidhāyana (Vyāsa) et un ver. Écoute, car il touche au dharma et à la conduite juste.»

Word by Word

• [{'term': 'atantra', 'definition': 'without hesitation

• with full attention (also: not negligent)'}, {'term': 'te', 'definition': 'to you'}, {'term': 'vartayiṣyāmi', 'definition': 'I will narrate

• I will relate'}, {'term': 'purāvṛtta', 'definition': 'ancient occurrence

• legendary account'}, {'term': 'idaṃ', 'definition': 'this'}, {'term': 'nṛpa / nṛ-īśvara', 'definition': 'king

• lord of men'}, {'term': 'dvaidhāyana', 'definition': 'Dvaidhāyana, i.e., Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana Vyāsa'}, {'term': 'saṃvāda', 'definition': 'dialogue

• instructive conversation'}, {'term': 'kīṭa', 'definition': 'worm

• insect'}, {'term': 'ca', 'definition': 'and'}, {'term': 'yudhiṣṭhira', 'definition': 'Yudhiṣṭhira, son of Dharma

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Dvaidhāyana (Vyāsa)
• kīṭa (worm/insect)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames an ethical instruction: Bhīṣma introduces an ancient exemplum (purāvṛtta) in the form of a dialogue, signaling that dharma is often taught through memorable narratives and that even a humble creature can become a vehicle for moral insight.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma addresses King Yudhiṣṭhira and announces that he will now recount a famous old episode—specifically, a conversation between Vyāsa (Dvaidhāyana) and a worm—setting up the story that follows.