Shloka 52
Āśā-prabhava (आशाप्रभव) — On the Rise and Power of Hope/Expectation
Sumitra Itihāsa Begins
Devanagari script
को भवानिति पृष्टश्न तमाह स महाद्युति:
Transliteration
ko bhavān iti pṛṣṭaśnaṃ tam āha sa mahādyutiḥ |
Translation
「汝は何者か」と問われると、その赫々たる者は彼に答えた——この問答は、自己の同一性を単なる名ではなく、対話のうちにおける倫理的・霊的な自己開示として位置づけつつ進められてゆく。
Word by Word
कःwho?
कः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootकिम्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
भवान्you (honorific)
भवान्:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootभवत्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
इतिthus
इति:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइति
पृष्टःhaving been asked / asked
पृष्टः:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootपृच्छ्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular, kta (past passive participle)
तम्him
तम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
आहsaid
आह:
TypeVerb
Rootअह्
FormPerfect (Liṭ), Third, Singular
सःhe
सः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
महाद्युतिःof great splendor
महाद्युतिः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootमहाद्युति
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
Speaker
ब्राह्मण उवाच
Characters & Entities
ब
ब्राह्मण (the Brahmin speaker)म
महाद्युति (the radiant/illustrious person, unnamed here)Character Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
The verse foregrounds respectful inquiry into identity (“Who are you?”) as a gateway to deeper ethical and spiritual discussion—suggesting that true understanding begins with questioning and a worthy respondent’s illuminating reply.
A Brahmin asks an unknown but radiant figure to identify himself. The illustrious person then answers, marking a transition into an explanatory or instructive response within the Shanti Parva’s reflective discourse.