Shloka 1

कपिलगोसंवादे गृहस्थ-त्यागधर्मयोः प्रमाण्यविचारः

Kapila–Cow Dialogue: Authority of Householder and Renunciant Dharmas

Devanagari script

/ ऑपनआ प्रात छा अ--काज जा एकषघष्ट्यवथिकद्विशततमो< ध्याय: जाजलिकी घोर तपस्या

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca |

atrāpy udāharantīmam itihāsaṃ purātanam |

tulādhārasya vākyāni dharme jājalinā saha ||

Translation

ഭീഷ്മൻ പറഞ്ഞു—രാജാവേ! ഇവിടെ കൂടി ഞാൻ ഒരു പുരാതന ഇതിഹാസം ഉദാഹരണമായി പറയുന്നു. അത് ജാജലിയോടൊപ്പം ധർമ്മവിഷയത്തിൽ വൈശ്യൻ തുലാധാരൻ പറഞ്ഞ വചനങ്ങളേക്കുറിച്ചുള്ളതാണ്.

Word by Word

• [{'term': 'bhīṣma uvāca', 'definition': 'Bhishma said'}, {'term': 'atra api', 'definition': 'here also

• in this context as well'}, {'term': 'udāharanti', 'definition': "they cite

• one cites as an example (idiomatically: 'I will relate')"}, {'term': 'imam', 'definition': 'this'}, {'term': 'itihāsam', 'definition': 'traditional account

• ancient narrative/legend'}, {'term': 'purātanam', 'definition': 'ancient

• of old'}, {'term': 'tulādhārasya', 'definition': 'of Tulādhāra (a merchant, exemplar of dharma)'}, {'term': 'vākyāni', 'definition': 'statements

• words'}, {'term': 'dharme', 'definition': 'concerning dharma

• in matters of righteousness/ethical duty'}, {'term': 'jājalinā saha', 'definition': 'together with Jājali

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Tulādhāra
• Jājali
• Dharma

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Bhishma frames dharma as best understood through lived examples: an ancient dialogue where a householder-merchant (Tulādhāra) instructs an ascetic (Jājali), implying that ethical clarity and humility can surpass mere austerity.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma introduces an old illustrative story: the forthcoming section will present Tulādhāra’s words on dharma delivered in a discussion with the sage Jājali.