Shloka 50

Dāyavibhāga (Inheritance Apportionment) and Household Precedence — Dialogue of Yudhiṣṭhira and Bhīṣma

Devanagari script

तत्त्वं जिज्ञासमानानां चक्षुर्भवतु नो भवान्‌ | तानेवं ब्रुवत: सर्वान्‌ सत्यवान्‌ वाक्‍्यमब्रवीत्‌

Transliteration

tattvaṃ jijñāsamānānāṃ cakṣur bhavatu no bhavān | tān evaṃ bruvataḥ sarvān satyavān vākyam abravīt |

Translation

“ഈ വിഷയത്തിന്റെ യഥാർത്ഥ തത്ത്വം ഞങ്ങൾ അറിയാൻ ആഗ്രഹിക്കുന്നു; ഞങ്ങൾക്ക് വഴികാട്ടുന്ന കണ്ണായി നിങ്ങൾ ഇരിക്കണം.” എല്ലാവരും ഇങ്ങനെ പറഞ്ഞപ്പോൾ സത്യവാൻ മറുപടി പറഞ്ഞു.

Word by Word

• तत्त्वम्: the truth/reality
• तत्त्वम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत्त्व
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• जिज्ञासमानानाम्: of those who are desiring to know
• जिज्ञासमानानाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जिज्ञासमान (from धातु √ज्ञा with desiderative जिज्ञास-)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• चक्षुः: eye; guide (metaph.)
• चक्षुः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: चक्षुस्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• भवतु: let (him) be
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू
• Form: Imperative (Loṭ), 3rd, Singular

• नः: for us / of us
• नः: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: —, Genitive, Plural

• भवान्: you (honorific)
• भवान्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: भवत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तान्: them
• तान्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• एवम्: thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम्

• ब्रुवतः: of (those) speaking
• ब्रुवतः: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्रुवत् (from धातु √ब्रू)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• सर्वान्: all (of them)
• सर्वान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• सत्यवान्: Satyavān
• सत्यवान्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्यवत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वाक्यम्: speech; statement
• वाक्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अब्रवीत्: said/spoke
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ब्रू
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular

Speaker

भीष्य उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Satyavān

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical posture of sincere inquiry: seekers of truth should approach a knowledgeable person with humility and request clear guidance, treating the teacher as ‘eyes’ that enable right understanding.

What is happening in the narrative?

A group of people expresses a desire to know the matter in its true form and asks for guidance; in response to their collective request, Satyavān begins his reply.