Shloka 1

Brāhmaṇa-kṛtya, Āśrama-niyama, and Dāna-prasaṃsā

Duties of the Brāhmaṇa, āśrama discipline, and praise of giving

Devanagari script

- वैवस्वत मन्वन्तरको आठ भागोंमें विभक्त करके जब अन्तिम आठवाँ भाग व्यतीत होने लगेगा

Transliteration

Bhīṣma uvāca | atraivodāharantīmam itihāsaṁ purātanam | śatakratoś ca saṁvādaṁ namuceś ca yudhiṣṭhira ||

Translation

ഭീഷ്മൻ പറഞ്ഞു—യുധിഷ്ഠിരാ! ഇതേ വിഷയത്തിൽ പണ്ഡിതർ ഒരു പുരാതന ഇതിഹാസദൃഷ്ടാന്തം ഉദ്ധരിക്കുന്നു—ശതക്രതു (ഇന്ദ്രൻ)യും നമുചിയും തമ്മിലുള്ള സംവാദം.

Word by Word

• अनत्र: herein/with regard to this
• अनत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अनत्र

• एव: indeed/just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• उदाहरन्ति: they cite/they relate (as an example)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद्-आ-हृ
• Form: Lat (Present), 3, Plural, Parasmaipada

• इमम्: this
• इमम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• इतिहासम्: ancient tale/history
• इतिहासम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: इतिहास
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• पुरातनम्: ancient/old
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुरातन
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• शतक्रतोः: of Śatakratu (Indra)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शतक्रतु
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• संवादम्: dialogue/conversation
• संवादम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: संवाद
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• नमुचेः: of Namuci
• Type: Noun
• Root: नमुचि
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• युधिष्ठिर: O Yudhiṣṭhira
• Type: Noun
• Root: युधिष्ठिर
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• भीष्मः: Bhīṣma
• भीष्मः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीष्म
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said/spoke
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Lan (Imperfect), 3, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Yudhishthira
• Shatakratu (Indra)
• Namuci

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Bhishma frames his instruction through an authoritative precedent: ethical and dharmic dilemmas are clarified by recalling well-known ancient exempla (itihasa), here the Indra–Namuci dialogue.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma begins a new illustrative story for Yudhishthira, announcing that he will recount an ancient dialogue between Indra (Shatakratu) and the Asura Namuci as a relevant example to the topic under discussion.