Shloka 5

Vṛddha-kanyā-carita and Balarāma’s Kurukṣetra Inquiry (वृद्धकन्या-चरितम् / कुरुक्षेत्रफल-प्रश्नः)

Devanagari script

वैशम्पायन उवाच आसीत्‌ पूर्व महाराज मुनिर्धीमान्‌ महातपा: । दधीच इति विख्यातो ब्रह्म॒चारी जितेन्द्रिय:

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca: āsīt pūrva mahārāja munir dhīmān mahātapāḥ | dadhīca iti vikhyāto brahmacārī jitendriyaḥ ||

Translation

ವೈಶಂಪಾಯನನು ಹೇಳಿದನು—ಮಹಾರಾಜ! ಪೂರ್ವಕಾಲದಲ್ಲಿ ಜ್ಞಾನವಂತನಾದ ಮಹಾತಪಸ್ವಿ ಮುನಿಯೊಬ್ಬನಿದ್ದನು; ಅವನು ಬ್ರಹ್ಮಚಾರಿಯೂ ಇಂದ್ರಿಯಜಯಿಯೂ ಆಗಿದ್ದನು. ಅವನು ದಧೀಚನೆಂದು ಪ್ರಸಿದ್ಧನಾಗಿದ್ದನು.

Word by Word

• वैशम्पायनः: Vaishampayana
• वैशम्पायनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैशम्पायन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect (Paroksha-bhuta), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• आसीत्: there was
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस्
• Form: Imperfect (Anadyatana-bhuta), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• पूर्वम्: formerly, earlier
• पूर्वम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्व

• महाराज: O great king
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाराज
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• मुनिः: a sage
• मुनिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• धीमान्: wise, intelligent
• धीमान्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धीमत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• महातपाः: of great austerity
• महातपाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महातपस्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• दधीचः: Dadhichi
• दधीचः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दधीच
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• इति: thus, by the name
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति

• विख्यातः: renowned, well-known
• विख्यातः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि-ख्यात
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, kta (past passive participle)

• ब्रह्मचारी: a celibate student (brahmacharin)
• ब्रह्मचारी: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मचारिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• जितेन्द्रियः: one who has conquered his senses
• जितेन्द्रियः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जितेन्द्रिय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, kta (jita) + subanta (indriya)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Mahārāja (the king addressed, i.e., Janamejaya in the frame narrative)
• Sage Dadhīca

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse foregrounds ethical authority rooted in tapas (austerity), brahmacarya (disciplined celibacy), and jitendriyatā (sense-mastery), presenting Dadhīca as a model of inner restraint and spiritual strength.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana, addressing the king in the epic’s frame dialogue, introduces an earlier sage named Dadhīca—renowned for great austerities and strict self-control—setting up a subsequent episode or exemplum involving him.