Shloka 4

Devanagari script

वैदेहो जनको राजा महर्षि वेदवित्तमम्‌ । पर्यपृच्छत्‌ पञज्चशिखं छिन्नधर्मार्थसंशयम्‌

Transliteration

Vaideho Janako rājā maharṣi-vedavittamam | paryapṛcchat pañcaśikhaṁ chinna-dharmārtha-saṁśayam ||

Translation

Bhīṣma berkata: Raja Janaka dari Videha, yang mendambakan pemahaman tertinggi tentang Veda, telah menyoal resi Pañcaśikha—seorang yang segala keraguannya tentang dharma dan artha telah diputuskan—agar jelaslah kelakuan yang benar dan tujuan yang benar.

Word by Word

वैदेहःthe Videhan (man of Videha)

जनकःJanaka

राजाking

महर्षिम्the great sage

वेदवित्तमम्the best knower of the Veda

पर्यपृच्छत्asked, questioned

पञ्चशिखम्Pañcaśikha

छिन्नधर्मार्थसंशयम्whose doubts about dharma and artha were cut off (resolved)

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

Janaka

Videha

Pañcaśikha

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical method of learning: even a king should approach a realized teacher and inquire. True guidance on dharma (right conduct) and artha (right aims and welfare) is sought from one whose own doubts are already resolved.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma introduces an exemplum: King Janaka of Videha approaches and questions the sage Pañcaśikha, described as a foremost knower of Vedic wisdom and free from doubts about dharma and artha.