Shloka 5

भरद्वाज उवाच कथं सलिलमुत्पन्नं कथं चैवाग्निमारुतौ | कथं वा मेदिनी सूष्टेत्यत्र मे संशयो महान्‌,भरद्वाजने पूछा--भगवन्‌! जलकी उत्पत्ति कैसे हुई? अग्नि और वायुकी सृष्टि किस प्रकार हुई तथा पृथ्वीकी भी रचना कैसे की गयी, इस विषयमें मुझे महान्‌ संदेह है

bharadvāja uvāca kathaṃ salilam utpannaṃ kathaṃ caivāgnimārutau | kathaṃ vā medinī sṛṣṭety atra me saṃśayo mahān |

ഭരദ്വാജൻ പറഞ്ഞു—ഭഗവൻ! ജലം എങ്ങനെ ഉദ്ഭവിച്ചു? അഗ്നിയും വായുവും എങ്ങനെ ഉത്പന്നമായി? ഭൂമി എങ്ങനെ രൂപപ്പെട്ടു? ഈ കാര്യങ്ങളിൽ എനിക്ക് മഹത്തായ സംശയമുണ്ട്.

भरद्वाजःBharadvaja
भरद्वाजः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootभरद्वाज
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
उवाचsaid
उवाच:
TypeVerb
Rootवच्
FormPerfect (Paroksha-bhuta), Third, Singular
कथम्how
कथम्:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootकथम्
सलिलम्water
सलिलम्:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootसलिल
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
उत्पन्नम्arisen/produced
उत्पन्नम्:
TypeVerb
Rootउत्पन्न
FormPast passive participle (kta), Neuter, Nominative, Singular
कथम्how
कथम्:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootकथम्
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
एवindeed/just
एव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव
अग्निःfire
अग्निः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootअग्नि
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
मारुतौthe two winds / wind (dual form)
मारुतौ:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootमारुत
FormMasculine, Nominative, Dual
कथम्how
कथम्:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootकथम्
वाor/indeed
वा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवा
मेदिनीearth
मेदिनी:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootमेदिनी
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular
सृष्टाcreated
सृष्टा:
TypeVerb
Rootसृष्ट
FormPast passive participle (kta), Feminine, Nominative, Singular
इतिthus (quotative)
इति:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइति
अत्रhere/in this matter
अत्र:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअत्र
मेmy/of me
मे:
TypePronoun
Rootअस्मद्
Form—, Genitive, Singular
संशयःdoubt
संशयः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootसंशय
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
महान्great
महान्:
TypeAdjective
Rootमहत्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular

भरद्वाज उवाच

B
Bharadvāja
S
salila (water)
A
agni (fire)
M
māruta (wind)
M
medinī (earth)

Educational Q&A

The verse models a disciplined philosophical inquiry: when foundational questions about the world’s origin arise, one should articulate doubts clearly and seek a reasoned account rather than accept assumptions.

In Śānti Parva’s reflective setting, the sage Bharadvāja raises a cosmological question, asking how the basic elements—water, fire, wind, and earth—were created, indicating he seeks a systematic explanation from the interlocutor.