Shloka 3

Brāhmaṇa-mahattva and Atithi-Dharma

Brahmagītā: Praise of Brāhmaṇas and norms of honor

Devanagari script

भीष्म उवाच इदं शृणु महाप्राज्ञ धर्मपुत्र महायश: । इतिहासं पुरावृत्तं शरणार्थ महाफलम्‌

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca idaṃ śṛṇu mahāprājña dharmaputra mahāyaśaḥ | itihāsaṃ purāvṛttaṃ śaraṇārtha mahāphalam ||

Translation

Bhīṣma dit : «Écoute ceci, ô fils du Dharma, grand en sagesse et en renommée. Je vais te rapporter un récit ancien des temps révolus, révélant le grand fruit qui vient de la protection de celui qui cherche refuge.»

Word by Word

• {'bhīṣma uvāca': 'Bhishma said', 'idaṃ': 'this (teaching/account)', 'śṛṇu': 'listen', 'mahāprājña': 'greatly wise, highly discerning', 'dharmaputra': 'son of Dharma

• epithet of Yudhiṣṭhira', 'mahāyaśaḥ': 'of great fame/glory

• illustrious', 'itihāsam': 'traditional narrative

• historical/legendary account with moral import', 'purāvṛttam': 'that occurred long ago

• ancient event', 'śaraṇa': 'refuge, protection, asylum', 'artha': 'purpose, matter, topic', 'śaraṇārtham': 'concerning refuge

• regarding one who seeks shelter', 'mahāphalam': 'great fruit

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Yudhiṣṭhira (Dharmaputra)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Protecting a person who seeks refuge (śaraṇāgata) is presented as a high dharma that yields great merit; Bhishma introduces an ancient exemplum to ground this ethical duty in tradition.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma addresses Yudhiṣṭhira with honorifics and invites him to listen; he is about to begin an old illustrative story explaining the great spiritual and moral reward of granting protection to one who comes for shelter.