Shloka 1

Devanagari script

ऑपन-मा_ज (_) डे सप्ताशीरत्याधिकद्विशततमो< ध्याय: नारदजीका गालव मुनिको श्रेयका उपदेश युधिछिर उवाच अतत्त्वज्ञस्य शास्त्राणां सततं संशयात्मन: | अकृतव्यवसायस्य श्रेयो ब्रूहि पितामह,युधिष्ठिरने पूछा--पितामह! जो शास्त्रोंके तत््वको नहीं जानता, जिसका मन सदा संशयमें ही पड़ा रहता है तथा जिसने परमार्थके लिये कोई निश्चित ध्येय नहीं बनाया है, उस पुरुषका कल्याण कैसे हो सकता है? यह मुझे बताइये

Transliteration

Yudhiṣṭhira uvāca | atattvajñasya śāstrāṇāṃ satataṃ saṃśayātmanaḥ | akṛtavyavasāyasya śreyo brūhi pitāmaha ||

Translation

ຍຸທິສຖິຣ ກ່າວວ່າ: «ໂອ ພຣະອາວຸໂສ (ປິຕາມະຫາ)! ຂໍທ່ານຈົ່ງບອກຂ້ອຍເຖິງ “ສຣະເຢະສ” (ຄວາມດີອັນແທ້) ສໍາລັບຜູ້ຊາຍຜູ້ບໍ່ເຂົ້າໃຈແກ່ນແທ້ຂອງຄໍາສອນໃນຄຳພີ, ຜູ້ມີໃຈຖືກຄວາມສົງໄສລົບກວນຢູ່ເສມອ, ແລະຜູ້ບໍ່ມີຄວາມຕັ້ງໃຈໝັ້ນຄົງ ຫຼືການຝຶກຝົນຢ່າງມີວິໄນ. ຄົນແບບນັ້ນຈະບັນລຸຄວາມຜາສຸກໄດ້ແນວໃດ?»

Word by Word

अतत्त्वज्ञस्यof one who does not know the truth/essence

शास्त्राणाम्of the scriptures/treatises

सततम्always/constantly

संशयात्मनःof one whose nature is doubt

अकृतव्यवसायस्यof one who has not undertaken/formed resolve (no determined effort)

श्रेयःthe good; welfare; highest good

ब्रूहिtell (you)

पितामहO grandsire (Bhishma)

Speaker

युधिछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

Yudhiṣṭhira

Bhīṣma (Pitāmaha)

śāstra (scriptures)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames a prerequisite for śreyas (true welfare): mere exposure to śāstra is insufficient without grasping its essence (tattva), overcoming chronic doubt through discernment, and adopting firm resolve (vyavasāya) in practice. It sets up Bhīṣma’s instruction on how clarity, conviction, and disciplined effort enable ethical and spiritual progress.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva, Yudhiṣṭhira, seeking guidance after the war, questions Bhīṣma (lying on the bed of arrows) about dharma and the path to the highest good. Here he asks specifically how a person who lacks true understanding of scripture, remains perpetually doubtful, and has no settled commitment can attain welfare—inviting Bhīṣma’s counsel.